Digimon Digital soldiers: Agents of Hypnos
by Grave10der
Summary: Takato found the digital portal, but things have changed. Hypnos is fighting a group of terrorists that want to use Digimon as weapons, Yamaki makes an academy specifically for the Tamers, and Secret from everyone that no one expects will be revealed. Brace yourselves for a new story after the series.
1. As the skies grow grey

Digimon: Soldiers: Ark 1

skies grows gray part 1

This is the beginning of a brand new saga of the digimon series I called Digital Soldiers.

This is a really bad summary. this part of the story is called the agent of hypnos.

 **Takato**

"Four months since we said goodbye to our friends. Four months . . . and it feels like forever. "

I don't want to move on with my life, because of the promise I made to Guilmon. " _We'll play again soon Takato, won't we?"_ If only I could.

As much as I thought nothing was going to be the same, everything started going back to normal. Kazu was still pulling silly pranks, Kenta following Kazu like a puppy on their missions of chaos, Jeri was still plays with the hand puppet, Mrs. Asagi still gave out too much homework, Henry just accepted what his dad had done, even though he seems to not want to show it, Ryo went back to Tokyo -trying to adapt to his old life again- And sadly Rika dethroned herself of the name Digimon Queen- saying that she wants some other player better than her to have the title.

I tried really hard to keep in contact with the rest of the tamers, especially the younger tamers Ai, Mako and Susie. However it's really difficult to explain where their digimon went, or at least talk about digimon, because I don't really know them - or in Susie's she always refers to me as the "Angwy kid". It's really hard for me to try to get to know them, especially when they're so young.

I kept on coming to Guilmon's old home but, why bother? All it did was just bring me sad memories. Not a sign of hope of keeping that promise. There was a moment at that second where I thought, "I just wish you would come back to me, Guilmon." But I guess that won't happen.

Walking towards home, I hear a slight giggle. A familiar giggle, from a gnome-like creature. I turn back to the hideout. "I could have sworn I had heard something!" I said, as I peered into the cave and . . . there it was! A Digital Portal! It glows in a white bliss that dances on my eyes and warms my spirit. 'Scratch that, maybe I could keep that promise after all' I thought. I went in a little closer. Considering the size of portal, I crouch down my knees, and begin to crawl towards the gate. The hard ground scrapes the skin of my knee, the skin slipping on pebbles, pebbles rolled on the dirt. It hurts but I don't care. I'm going to find my friend. I'm going to bring him back. I'll bring all of them back. So close. Just a few inches more.

"Get away from that portal Takato!"

The tone of that voice stops me. In a short second as the stiffness disappears, I turn around. There he was. Mitsuo Yamaki, head of Hypnos with his navy blue suit and black-shade glasses. His expression is angry, like a dragon staring at gold no one should have.

Two agents of his are behind him, and with a snap they rush to me . They grab me and hurl me to the side. "Easy. He's just a boy." One of the agents looks at me then at Yamaki. "Sorry sir, not very fond with delinquents."

"Let's, just make this easy and let me do what has to be done." Yamaki said to me.

"Yamaki? What are you doing here? What do you mean, by what has to be done?" I said looking confuse.

"I've been given orders from the Department of Defense to eliminate any possible path from the digital world to this world." Yamaki said coldly to me.

"You seem to be liking to just stay the way-" I paused. "Wait. The Department of Defense? Why would you work with the government, I thought you worked for nobody?" I asked.

"After the incident with the D-Reaper, it was decided by the Prime Minister that the government would take over. Someone else has taken my position as the head of Hypnos and is now giving me orders, and I can't disregard them so, I'm only going to say this once: stay away from the portal." Yamaki said. At that moment, I notice two other agents standing in the distant trees. The other pair of goons that dragged me are standing right behind me, like a couple of wolves ready to pounce on me.

I just sprint towards the portal trying to get to my friends. I knew the other agents were going to stop me, so I kick one of them in the shins. The moment I nearly made my way to the portal, a red, gate-like firewall blocking my path. I stop, took a look at that ugly red wall, then look back to Yamaki, holding a hi-tech cell phone.

"The wonders you can do with a cell phone." he joked.

"No. No, no! " I couldn't believe it. He took away my only chance. My chance of reuniting with my best friend was taken, by him. I try to touch it but one of the agents grabs my arm. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Yamaki taunts me saying that the firewall will burn anything that touches it. Tears rivers down my face, "Why! Why did you do that?" I shout at him. I couldn't believe it. He helped us save Shinjuku. He helped us find our friends. And now he's taking my chances of being with my friends away.

"I'm sorry Takato, this is the way it has to be." The way he said those words, like a knife to my heart: slow painful and if it doesn't kill you, leaves an internal scar. I start to notice the tears on my face, it wasn't from devastation. It was from anger.

I run towards him and tried to punch Yamaki, but the agents came and held me, as if they were trying to take me away. "Yamaki, your wrong! They belong with us! I will bring them back!" I yell out. The agents drag me about thirty feet away from where Yamaki was and soon just throw me out of the park.

I walk to the bakery, stumbling my way to my room. I let my hand swing the door shut, I let the weight of my head drop to the beaded pillow, and have the sheets of the pad soaking from my eyes.

I couldn't be strong for once. I feel weak. My parents were at the market so I just let that be my opportunity to bawl up a storm. I was useless. There was a once and a lifetime opportunity to get them back, such a reach of something special; gone. Then I had a moment. I looked up and saw the thing that gave me courage hanging on the side of my wall. My goggles: to anyone else they're just another piece of plastic goggles, only to be used for swimming or when it rains or snows, but to me they were for a different goggles were the first recognition aside from that I became a tamer. Like a soldier, the goggles was my badge of honor, letting me know that I was part of a team of tamers that did extraordinary things. I wipe my tears, "I can't give up! I shouldn't give up! I must break that firewall go through the portal and get our Digimon back!"

The next day I went over to Henry's house to tell him the situation. I knocked on the door and Suzie greeted me with the same face she always gives me. "Henwy the angry kid is here!" That made me chuckle a bit. "Hey! I'm not angry." Henry greets me. Suzie then went back playing whatever she's doing, as we walked past his parent's room and head straight to his room.

"So what brings you to her-" Henry began before being cut off.

"I've found it!" I know I caught him off guard with those words. Henry rushes to close the door hoping that his father didn't hear. He and Mr. Wong were having trouble trying to see eye to eye a little more but after what he did to Terriermon, Henry wouldn't ever forget what he did to him. So I began to whisper the whole story, trying not to lose him on anything or be loud enough for his dad to hear. "So what you're saying is that the portal to the digital world is back, Hypnos is now working with the Ministry of Defence, Yamaki is doing whatever he can to keep us away from the portal, and you want to break into the Hypnos building? that's crazy!" Henry said skeptical of the whole thing.

"I know it's crazy!"

"Shh." He shushed me. I begin to whisper again. "I know it's crazy. Maybe there might be a way to hack into the computers there without even going inside the building."

"There can be, but now that _Hypnos_ are now with the ministry of defence not only would it be impossible, but it would also be a deathwish." Henry started to rant. "If we try to do something that'll get their attention, we can end up in prison or worse!"

"I don't think they throw twelve-year-old kids in prison."

"No, but they do a lot of worse things."

"Like what."

"You know like harsh labor . . . Bordom and Stuff."

"I don't think you know what sort of thing they do to kids."

"OK yeah. But that's the point. We shouldn't even do this or we will be in a worse situation!"

"Shh." I shushed him. "I know! I know that already but . . ." I began to think of all the times Guilmon, Terriermon, Renamon and the rest of the digimon were here. "Don't you miss them?" I asked Henry. He gasp a little when I asked him that; he missed Terriermon and that look tells me so. He look blankly downwards to his feet knowing that the things that he would say are going to disappoint me.

"I do miss them," he said.

"Then help me go look for them. Please, I need someone who knows how to get around computer programs. Please, help me." I begged him to help me.

"I'm sorry Takato, maybe it better like this."

"Better like this?" I was starting to lose faith in my friend. "How could it be better like this? They could be in danger or not even alive! We have to go and find them-"

"It's too dangerous now!" He abruptly yelled to me. He realized that he stun me with his thunder-mouth shriek and soon calmly said, "They have their own life, we have ours. Maybe this was how it was meant to be."

The pain I felt when someone told me that. I know that Henry was a very logical person, who would always consider thinking before doing, but this was Terriermon we were talking about saving. This was Guilmon. It's Renamon, Calumon, Guardromon, MarineAngemon, Cyberdramon, Lopmon and Impmon we were talking about. There is a chance to get them all back, but he seem just to pull the plug- like we've lost them from the start.

"So you won't help me."

"I'm sorry Takato."

"Then I'm sorry too." Henry looked at me funny. "Why are you sorry." I stood up "If you're not going to help me, that's fine. I won't bother you right now. Bye." I said to my friend.

I found my way out of his apartment, trying to think of someone else who would want to help me. I know Kazu and Kenta are a bit busy with everything going on, I can't get to Ryo with him being that he's far away, and Jeri... well I can't bring Jeri into anything that has to do with Digimon right now - that's what her therapist tells me. That pretty much leaves one person, but I doubt that she would want to talk to me. Don't get me wrong, Rika and I are getting along like friends should and she is up for anything rebellious - especially with Hypnos- but Rika has been really distant to the group after the digimon went away. Without Renamon, Rika has isolated herself from us.

Oh well, at least I'll give it a shot. I reached for my pocket for quarters to go to a pay phone. Only four coins. Only two calls. When I reached for a pay phone inserted two coins and dialed Rika's number. I waited for a while until I heard an elderly voice. "Hello?"

"Hello, I'd like to speak to Rika please." I said.

"Oh, may I ask who's calling?" I know from the sound of it must have been Rika's grandmother. I know for a fact that this wasn't Rika's mother for she was always pursuing her modeling Career.

"This is Takato," I said.

"Oh Takato I didn't recognize your voice, I'm Rika's grandmother." I knew it.

"Oh. Hi Mrs. Hata." I over heard her calling Rika and I could hear Rika grunt "What does he want now?"

"Hey, Rika." I greet my old friend.

"What do you want goggle head." said Rika

"I was wondering if you want to talk-"

"We're talking now! You need to hurry I'm a bit busy." Rika blurted out.

"Doing what?" I asked.

"Nothing of your concern." Replied Rika. "I'm in the middle of something that's just eating me up."

"Me too."

"What's on your mind, Gogglehead?"

"Okay," I took a deep breath, "I've found a digital portal." There was a long pause. I hear on the phone sounds, as if Rika rushes rapidly and suddenly slams the slide-door shut. She said "what?"

"I found a portal in Guilmon's hideout, Hypnos are now working with the Department of Defense and Yamaki created a firewall to block anyone or that of an digimon to come in; I told Henry about this and he refuses to help, saying that it's dangerous. All I am asking is if you can help me with getting -". This might have been a bad idea to tell her what's going on. What if she doesn't want to help me? Or even if she did what if we got to a whole lot of trouble. The idea of her going to prison, would be catastrophic- or just plain terrible.

"Hey! Gogglehead! What gives? First you were saying that a digital portal came back and then you stopped talking. Is this a joke? Did those dimwitted duo put you up to this?" Rika ranted over the phone

"Rika, please!" I shrugged to the phone. "I thought that maybe you could help me, by meeting at the park-"

"The park, but I thought you said that the portal was blocked?"

"I know I said that, but I need someone who can tell me if the firewall is down." I said interrupting her.

"So that's what you need me for? being a lookout?" Questioned Rika.

"Well yes kind of; it's just that-"

"No way. I am more of a part of this than you are."

"And that's why I need you to be there first-"

"If you think you can have my help only to use it for something useless just because I'm not the Ice Queen any-" Rika just keeps interrupting me and it got me upset.

"I don't care if you're the digimon queen!" I yell. My voice raged with fear, anxiety, and frustration as I stopped her train of speech. There was a long pause. Rika probably couldn't believe that I would abruptly scream like that. I needed to calm down and just flat out told her. "I don't want you hurt for what I did. I don't want to make the mistake like Meg-, I care about you Rika." Ok, I stepped too far. I think that Rika knows how I feel for Defence but I didn't mean to say that I care about her like that. With that said I had to finish it. "That's why I'm going to need your help. I'm going to bring them back, even if I have to go alone. I am only telling you this because I want you to know that I care about them. I just hope that you care too."

After that I just waited for her to respond. Rika didn't say a word for a time that felt like forever. Unfortunately her pause was broken. "Ok."

"Thank you Rika," I said in relief.

"Just to be clear, I am more than a look out."

"I know."

"And I want you to promise me something."

"What is it?"

"Don't go alone."

"Who says I'm doing it alone. I have you." I smiled but then I realized what I just did. There was a silence in the two lines. "Okay, I know that came out wrong-"

"Listen I have to go. I'll talk to you soon."

"Okay. Bye." the sound of the white noise came after. Now I have to fulfill two promises. I didn't want to have her distrust. She should know that I'm the type of person that keeps promises. Once I keep promises I'm committed to them, and I know that this one, as difficult. We will become tamers once more. I made a promise to Guilmon. I'm going to keep that promise.


	2. A trip to Hypnos Tower

**Takato**

PART 2

"I can't believe you've done that," Rika says, throwing me a wet towel. "You tick them off too well, and now we're nowhere near the portal."

"Hey don't worry," I said. "I assembled my best plan to bring the Digimon back." She pushes me off the chair. "No Takato. It's about the fifteenth time we've done this."

"And six of them were your ideas involved me putting a bomb in the building."

"It was a stink bomb. It's not going to hurt anyone. Anyway we are going nowhere with any of them." I couldn't say anything because she's right. All these plans we've done, were downright bad. There was that time where I just stared right at the tower then at the sky hoping for a portal there. Rika's bomb plan, that blew up in our faces . . Literally. Rika wouldn't talk to anyone because she was afraid she'll be mock for bad breath. Then there was a time where I followed Yamaki to his home hoping to maybe get a chance to steal his phone and bring down the firewall like that, but he found me grabbed me by the neck, and just threw me into the lawn. We were both in shock when that happened. "Go Home Takato!" I just ran after that not realizing that I dropped My goggles. I don't really know what was going on with my head right now. I could of just went back and get them but Yamaki could've just pick it up and threw it into the fire or something. Anyway it could have been long gone.

 **Omnius**

Yamaki picked up the goggle the boy dropped. _This has to end_ he thought. ' _That boy has been making the agency hard to progress'. As of now he bothered the accountants for me, made random phone calls to the office and now he's following me home. We've bribed him two thousand dollars-he refused-we had two of our agent take him to an alley and take care of him -he got back up- the only way we could get him away for about two days is when we told him we would take away his parent's bakery._

He picked up the goggles that Takato dropped with his left hand, and with his right hand grabbed his keys from his left pocket and insert the key into the lock, pushing and twisting the key with the grip of his hand and push the door.

He doesn't want to treat Takato to such pain that'll make him think Yamaki is the enemy. Takato and the other tamers have been great allies with Yamaki and Hypnos. However, he has orders, to protect Japan and with the ministry of defence had taken over, they won't take any chances with any outside force-that includes the tamers. Yamaki took a seat on his sofa in his suite in the apartment. _  
__What the hell am I doing?_ He thought to himself. _Takato only wants to get the digimon back and we can't risk it anymore. Plus if something as bad as the D-Reaper emerges, then the attack will be more catastrophic to cover. If the people knew that monsters will come and invade the cities, they won't think twice about punishing the cause of it._ He glance down at the goggles that he held in his hand. _They'll blame him for bringing them back and there will be no one to defend them. The Ministry wouldn't bother saving the life of one if it means staying away from the wrath of many._ He pondered, and he pondered, about how to resolve this. As now a part of the Ministry of defence, he can only order a few people from his branch and no more. He's not the head. He's not in charge. He's usless, to an extent.

He looked at the special glasses. Yamaki kind of knew that Takato like other regular boys his age were still fans of the T.V. show and it doesn't seem like he's a big fanatic of it but there was something strange he thought about the goggles. What good is it to keep him away from thing he will probably need? He looked a little closer to the goggles trying to figure out what to do with them.

He smiles. _Oh, Takato. How much you've grown._

His cell phone rings. He picked it up to see that it was his co-worker, Riley called the phone. "What is it, Riley?"

"Yamaki, The general would like to have a word with you in two weeks. Should I try to reschedule the appointment?"

"No, you should-" he thought about it for a second. "Wait who was I am meeting again?"

"General Kodaki, sir. Do you want me to reschedule" Now he gave a long thought into this. He looked back at the goggles. If he want's to get his Digimon back. . .

"Riley, please reschedule the meeting to next week, and tell him and the Monster Makers that I'll give a couple of reports regarding a new program I want them to assist."

"Ok. Wait! Program? When did you work on a program besides the Juggernaut?"

"Five minutes ago." There was a pause, but then Riley decided to comply with her boss' demand.

"This program, Mitsuko, what is it?" After that Yamaki said something that made her brain spin in total confusion. Yamaki looked at the goggles for the last time. "Don't worry, You'll like it. I'll send you a list to call. You can say it's for the new recruits. . . ."

 **Takato**

This hasn't stopped. I tried to bribe some of the agents help me get in, but they call the police. I tried to convince some of the janitors to sneak me in; they thought I was crazy, told Yamaki and next thing I knew I had to explain to my mom why I'm bruised to the pulp. The schools, well mine, began to be a hot zone for agents, in fact trying to find a way into Hypnos seemed hopeless. Even at school my actions had gotten worse to the point where I just got up to the classroom and ask for Ms. Asagi if we can go to the Hypnos building for a field trip- this led me to detention, my parents grounding me, Henry starting to worry about me, and Hypnos coming to the bakery for a very special visit. I thought I was going to be expelled. That was what we all thought until Yamaki came to the bakery to make his _only solution_ to my problem.

I've told Rika about this at the park, and well, she wanted to go for another scheme. "Rika, I don't think this is a good idea you can't do it."

"What is so difficult about apologising to Yamaki, and leaving the back door open?" Rika grunted. She was far from done, she wanted to get Renamon more than I do. However she know better as I do, that none of our plans worked.

"If we do this and it doesn't work, we are never going to see them again or worse, Yamaki will end it right there."

"I thought you wanted to see Guilmon again? If you don't want to try then go ahead and shake his hand. I don't need help from you-"

"Help from what?" We both turned our heads. The plan became a bit more impossible: Kazu, Kenta, and Henry found us. "If you're thinking about doing something crazy, don't."

"Why not Henry?"

"Because thanks to both you and Takato's misadventures, Yamaki's been talking to my dad secretly. I thought he was talking about you, and how you can't seem to let this go."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rika spat back. "You went back to being on you dad side, after what he did. Did you forget what he did to Terriermon?"

"I haven't forgiven him, but doing this will not bring them back-"

"I don't care. It's better than not trying." There was tension between Henry and Rika, and the others felt it. Kazu attempts to break the tension. "How long has it been?"

"It been a couple of months, and we haven't gathered around. You know for a reunion?" Kenta backed him up. Rika and Henry's tension between each other, feeling a bit sorry for one another. "I mean Rika does you even keep touch with Ryo?"

"No, not really. We rarely talk to each other."

"And Takato," Kenta asks me. It caught me off guard considering I hang out with Kazu and Kenta. "Before Jeri was with you most of the time at school, what happens after?" My eyes wandered. Jeri. Of course I was sort of there for her. After school we used to walk together and I'll take her to her house. But one day her therapist from the government agency, confronted me and well, "Her therapist told me it was best to give her space, after what happened." My friends can see what kind of stress it brings me.

I see her all the time, but I can't walk up to her, talk to her, and ever since the attempts, She moved to another class with Henry. Henry knew how I felt about her, "She misses you."

"I do too." I felt my eyes start to water, but I didn't want to cry, not this time. I sniffed the tear back. "Rika I'm sorry." Rika shook her head and began to walk away, but not before saying to my right ear, "You're a coward."

"Tomorrow I'm going to Hypnos. I'm going to apologies!" I spoke louder so that Rika could hear. Henry shook his head as well. "You're going to do well. I have to go good luck." He walked away. Kazu and Kenta were next to comfort me. "Good luck, Chumley. We'll probably laugh at this." Kazu said.

"Maybe we can do something after," Kenta said.

"Sure. Thanks, guys." I said, and with that, they left.

It was open season on the tower, and I feel that the game they were after, was me. All the agents were giving me the glare, but I sort of knew why. Seven weeks is a lot of time to do whatever it take to get our digimon back and that got me a lot of attention- especially with agents. Many were bothered by my presence- in fact some of theses agents brought out their contracted night sticks. There was one that grabbed my collar, dragged me to a room and pinned me to a wall. He nearly killed me until some receptionist informed him that I was going to apologies. There were many like that agent.

However, not all of the staff of Hypnos wanted to kill me. Most of them wanted to thank me. I can still remember this agent with square glasses and slightly shaggy hair came towards me. "What are doing- wait, aren't you Takato Matsuki?"

"Well... I... uh... um yeah?" After that, he gasped bowed in front of me. "Could you sign this please?" he asked as he handed me a report from one of that out-there news.

"Ok." I signed my name and gave it back to him. He gleefully hyperventilated as he thanked me and walk back to his desk requesting me for a tour. An agent came in to pick me up. He laugh saying, "That's nice suit, you applying for a job?"

"No. Yamaki sent me to come like this," I said.

"Well, of course, Kodaki loves to see some kid entertain him properly." The agent cackled.

That's one of the things I had to be embarrassed about. Yamaki had a strange request: not only does he want to see me apologies face to face but he requested that I had to be appropriately dressed in a suit and tie or he won't let me in. I walked in when he came to the bakery and said that, and when he asked why his response was, "It's a test to see how good he follows the right directions." He then gave me both a navy blue suit with a plain black tie and a dark suit, with a plain bright red tie, a white dress shirt and dress shoe that look like ugly stale black chain-weights to me. My parents thanked Yamaki for giving me "cute" clothes, but I felt like I was going to a funeral. Dressed to apologies.

The man that asked for my autograph gave me a tour of the tower and by the looks of it it was as secure as the inside of a fortress. It had only two exits: the entrance, which was the worst choice of getting out, the exit near the stair on the left which could be a better escape if it wasn't jammed. The third exit and probably the sneakiest and the most serious departure is the open window that's on the third floor, that's at least about 26 stories from Yamaki's headquarters and about four stories where the ground was. Just guess which one I picked; that's right. . . The entrance.

When I finally made it to Yamaki's office I was just out of air realizing that this was a bit impossible to get out of the tower. Ok at first you would think that Yamaki's office is on the top floor but no, it's actually the thirtieth floor. They didn't show anything above that, meaning that they're hiding something above Yamaki's office. When they gave me the tour they used the elevator to show the floors where they would show the public. Level 2 and 5 were locker rooms, floors 3, 7, 11 and 13 were offices for the work agents, and some field and street agents, floor 17 is the gym, and levels 19 is the lounge. 23 is the information and recruitment office-place is hardly ever used- and 29 is the lab where the monster makers helped us and Yamaki during the invasion of the devas, our journey to the digital world and the attack of the D-Reaper. _They're hiding something._ So far they've only showed floors that don't even seem like big-money, government-invested, military-infested floor. They look like the floors my dad used to work at.

Anyway, as I got to the central head office, the one next to the control room, Yamaki was in the middle of a meeting with the the only person who look like he's from the military. He seemed to be some big-deal-war-hero general, in his fifty or sixties- he could have the age of my grandfather. I was actually starting to get quite nervous at the moment. It looked like they were arguing about something related to the tamers. I couldn't really hear that well but every step I made towards the door I catch words like "Monsters" or "Tamers" and even a glimpse of "D-Reaper".

 _What was I supposed to do, just apologies?_ I thought to myself. I stood there with the golden knob on my hand. _Oh well._ I entered face to face with Yamaki and some general that. "Well, well." Yamaki began to speak while coming towards me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders pulling me close to this old-timer."General this is the boy I was talking about. Takato I'd like you to meet my..." he paused for a second as if he really doesn't know what to call the general, "General Teruyoshi Kodaki."

I gasped at the sight of this man. I knew him. He was the man in charge of the Military assistance during the attack of the Devas and the D-Reaper. There are people in the bakery, students in school and even some rumor that warned me about him: He's one angry man, When Digimon had first arrived and reported as true, he made it clear that he wanted them all gone, and anyone that disagrees with him is either silence or just beaten senseless by either his soldier or his supporters. He was very destructive with the press, he's doesn't like being wronged, or made a fool- a comedian made fun of him in the nineties, and was declared missing till his body was found in April... to this day the reasons of his death are unknown- and above all else he doesn't like to have his way taken away from him. Especially by a couple of kids. I'm guessing he wasn't a fan of the show either.

I was in no way, going to get a sense of gratitude from this man, especially since I was a member and, as Yamaki puts it, the leader of the Tamers who eliminated the monsters he wanted to get rid of, himself. Nailed.

Trying to show him that I wasn't the enemy, I bowed to him. "It's an honor to meet you!" Kodaki came towards me with those dark eyes staring right at my soul. I felt like He was going to kill me right there. Dressed for Death. However in just 12 seconds of silence, he started to speak, "You, must be the one who cause an enormous amount of problems with this company. Yamaki has told me a lot about you." He continued.

"You made up your monster, and it came to life, you trained it, put it to battle even merged with it. You formed a squad of children like you to take on monsters, cross worlds and reigned victorious as heroes. Is that correct?"

I began to stand up straight and looked up at him. "Well, when you put it like that-"

"And now that your monsters have left you, you would want to bring them back here. Tell me, does your homework bore you? Has your teacher not given you the total respect that you deserve, hero?"

What a jerk! Having some verbal knife, puncturing wounds over me because I did his job better. The General was ranting and gets away with it. Kodaki circled around my stunned body and then faced me again. He went on.

"How does it feel to be seen as a hero? It felt rather nice isn't it; seeing such gratitude towards you at such a young age, for what you did. Makes you want to do whatever it takes to receive that much appreciation for an eternity. Is that why you want them monsters back!?"

I glared at him. "There called Digimon, and what makes you have some hate towards them? My friends are just as tame and friendly as any other person."

"And _your friends,_ those monster you call Digimon, have caused so much collateral and property damage to so many places and need to be destroyed, or at least kept in the distance." He paused at me.

"So do humans." My boyish face read "vulnerable" because, in his last words of the rant, he grinned and revealed, "I believe that I don't have the honor."

I looked down, not wanting to look at my new enemy. "I Came . . . To apologies."

"I know." Yamaki stepped in, knowing that I was kind of embarrassed to be there. " Can you wait for a moment, outside?" I nodded my head and left the room.

That moment felt very embarrassing to me. The moment I've left the room and they closed the door, I scowled at myself. _Why does this day have to be a bit miserable. now I how those foreign punk rock songs, Rika occasionally listen to, feel_. (by the way this many stories will have song classic or new songs written in the story. Some new, some old. I try to make them fit.) The suit was starting to be a little bit hot so I took off the jacket and loosened my tie for a split second. "Thats weird" I thought, "I could've sworn this jacket felt lighter.

There was something in my jacket's pocket that I hadn't felt before. It felt familiar though. I took out the object. It was my goggles. I had thought that I had left them at Yamaki' I remembered that when I entered the room He put his hand around me and maybe he placed it there when I wasn't looking. _Thanks, Yamaki_.

I tried to look at them seeing if they were ok. They seem to be a bit more new looking, as if Yamaki sent it to the repair shop and polished it as well. _Nothing really appears to be out of the ord-._ I did not remember having a thick red line on that black strap. It kind of looked weird. the line was bar-shaped with a maze like encryptions, like a stretched out data chip. I slid my index finger on it to know how it feels; they don't feel like it would bother me, just a few bumps that'll probably not feel anything when I put it on. I peared in the the lenses again, and to my surprize they' don't look like the same blue color they were. They were now navy blue shades with some kind of chip on the side of the lens.

I put them on and well that's when it get weird. three things happened after I wore them:

First I felt a prick on the back of my head, wasn't a so-bad-tears-out prick but a more small pinch. About a few seconds later the lens started to pixelate images and codes right down the lens. Every split second the lens shows the full information. The room, my personal data, my friend's personal information, the weekly news, a bunch of website browsers, the answers to the next test and an abundance of useful information, all while having a loading screen done printing out your name in the style of the west. _**Hello, Takato Matsuki**_. If I was Henry right now I would be having a technologic, freak out by now.

To be honest, though I was a bit shock myself that Yamaki had given this to me. I noticed the top line spelling out, _waiting for a command._ I decided to give it a whirl and played around with the computing. "Give me information?"

" **Mark 1 prototype Viral goggles. A device able to grab hold of any information and upgrades automatic to accommodate the change in technology**."

 _Ok, what can it do?_ I thought to myself and only myself. For some odd turn it. Gave me a couple of tutorials on the goggle and what it can do. I pointed to the code, and soon I think it just hacked into the computer's files and records without anyone noticing. " **Scanning complete. List of computer documents transferred."**

"Hey wait!" I yelled. Everyone in the control room looked at me. "Huh sorry! I just remember this Western song." everyone went back to work. Some even laugh while trying to figure out what song was it. "I did not ask you to do that," I whispered.

" **Preparing to remove files."**

"Wait. Uh. Computer? " I stopped for a second and thought about it quick. "Can I break a firewall."

 **"Scanning for the device. . . device located. Please point to your left.'** I pointed left, to the office. The goggles zoomed by itself spot one of Yamaki's gadget. I couldn't believe what was happening. I might be able to get the Digimon back.

 **"Please go to the nearest computer. Type in these numbers: 619319."** I did what my goggles told me and hit enter. At first, I thought _why did I need to do this when the device was the control for the firewall._ Until I realize the computer I was typing to had the device on the screen. _These goggles are so cool; I should get into technology._

 **"Firewall disabled."** What? That was it? I alone and with no education on how to hack a computer, succeeded into disable the firewall. Yamaki saw that I did what many others had tried to do- and failed- and looked impressed . Kodaki on the other hand looked alarm rang. "Get that kid!" Kodaki screamed at the top of his lungs. I ran as fast as I could.

As I sped my way through the halls of Hypnos dozens of agents have gotten out with batons and tasers trying to catch and punish me for what I did. There was even one officer that pointed his gun to me (He was hard to forget. He looked like my father but more firm and had a 4 o'clock shadow growing whereas my dad is clean shaven, with a bit happy-go-lucky personality.) He must have thought that the intruder was an older criminal because his expression on his face, when he raised his firearm was, a serious one. I had death grab hold of me. My heart pounded.

 _Was he going to kill me?_ I thought in my head. The fierce look in the agent's eyes started to deteriorate; empathy was taking over his conscious. The officer gasped "Takato?"

"Stop him!" I heard one of the Agent barked behind me. That helped me break from my stupor, and bolted for the door. I made it out. I had to speed through the park, go to the portal and get all our Digimon before Yamaki and then rest of hypnosis does something to stop me. I ran to the nearest corner. The pain of that fall was very in-depth and severe that my legs were starting to pump more blood. I began to get drowsy, deeply into the depths of the street, yearning to myself not to pass out.

 _That guy!_ I thought. _I think I recognized him from somewhere._ I shook my head and kept going.

It's been three minutes since I had been running from the agents. I needed to find a phone. Keep in my parents are very much in some form of debt due to school, so they decided I would get one when I turn fourteen. I'm twelve now. Ah! Off topic, subject moving on.

I went to the nearest phone pole, but all of the phones taken. "Ah, nuts!"

" **You need assistance Takato Matsuki?** " The robotic voice was coming from the goggles. I thought to myself a bit; I _don't think it can turn into a phone or something_.

" **Name of contact."** It spoke, but this time there was also text on the goggles. "Uh, Rika Nonaka?"

"Please wait." I looked around to see it there were any agents following me. Soon someone tapped me on the shoulders."Excuse me? Are you Takato?"

"Um, yes?" I said to him. Right out of nowhere, he takes out this cool looking flip phone. "Congrats to your parents seventh anniversary." The phone starts ringing. "I think it's for you." He hands the phone to me and just walks away. Weird. "Hello?"

"Hello?" I knew that voice. "Hi, Rika! Where are you?

"I am at a subway going back home. Why do want to know coward? Are you looking for me lover boy?"

"Stop calling me a coward! Anyway, I did it."

"I can call you. Wait. You did what?"

"I disabled the firewall, and now I'm heading right to the park and into Guilmon's hideout so we can get to the portal."

"I'll contact Henry, and you just get there as fast as you can. And Takato, I didn't think you would be able to do it." She hung up. Now I have to get to the park as fast as I go.

 **"Run forward."** _What_? I thought to myself. "What are you doing?"

 **"Giving you the fastest way to the park. Ten seconds to walk forward."**

"But it's in the middle of the street!"

" **Eight. Seven. Six."**

Fine. I walked forward to the middle of the road.

" **Brace for the accident.** " I turned to the left and heard this loud shrieking noise of streaking tires. I jumped screaming. The man got out. "Oh! I am so sorry. I wasn't watching the road are you ok."

"No I'm okay I think. But I need to go some-"

"Hey, you know what, just come in the car. I'll take you to where you need to go."

"Ah, no I don't think so." The man didn't listen. He got me up and assisted me into his car.

"Oh but I insist." And just like that, we're zooming through the streets. I couldn't even get a chance to breathe. "Too fast! We're going too quickly! Stop!" The guy hit the brakes. "Oh sorry about that."

"If you're going to drive please, do you even know where I'm trying to go?"

"Oh yeah!" he said with a dumbfounded expression. "So uh, where you headed?"

"Central Park."

"New York? Wow, are you going to see the Statue of Liberty?" I just looked at him and thought, _Is this guy serious?_ "You do realize that there is a park in Shinjuku called Central Park, right?"

"Oh! That one. No, sure thing my friend. Put on your seat belt I'm going to take this baby for a spin!"

"What do you mean by-" I couldn't finish. The man switched gears and made a complete U-turn on the road and made his way to Central Park. I don't know how exactly he can be relaxed when he's going at least 95 miles per hour. He begins to talk in a normal tone, as Galvanise played on the stereo. "So where you from."

"I'm from Zelkova Bridge please slow down!"

"Hey come on man I'm just trying to have a friendly conversation. You see I'm not really from here." I was listening to him, but we soon jumped in mid air "Oh Really?!"

Bam.

We were back on the road. Still he kept on talking like it was no big deal. "Yeah I'm from a place in Russia but I travel all the world. America, Mexico Canada, Belgium, Sweden, and heh some parts of Baghdad."

"What do you do?"

"Well I-"

"Stop!" the man hit the brakes, and we just drifted into a parallel parking spot."Hey. Why did we stop?"

"Because this is my stop."

 **Time estimated on arrival: two minutes.** _Two minutes? It usually takes me about fifteen to get here._ I walk to him, "Thank you, sir."

"Hey, man no problem. But hey kid, I'm trying to look for a place to eat is there any real good places." I smiled at him. _I'm probably not going to see him again but might as well take him to Jeri's restaurant._ I gave him the directions. He thanked me and drove off, fast.

 _I better get going before they bring the firewall back up._ I raced through the park _. I'm going to see them again,_ I thought. Time was not on my side, but destiny was. _I should have probably stopped at the bakery to pick up some bread, but it might be too late for that. I'm coming to Guilmon. I'm keeping that promise!_

Bam.

I felt a deep blow to my stomach. I fell backwards landing on my back. I tried to scream but I'm too busy trying to catch air. I looked up and it was the same agent the almost shot me. "I'm sorry. Takato." He took two things out of his pocket a phone and a remote control button. "General, the boy is with me. Sir if I may what I did was not professional and . . . I apologize sir. You want me to do it now. . . As I said sir the boy is with me."

 _"Just do it!"_

"As you commanded." he hung up. The agent turned to Takato, "I'm sorry for what I'm about to do." He moved to the side to show me Guilmon's hut, and then pressed the button.

Boom.

"No!" I was too late. Guilmon's home exploded into crumbling rubles. I fell to my knees and started to cry. The portal was gone and this time for good. The agent came close to hold Takato up, but I push him away. The officer grabbed my neck removing my goggles. I grabbed his leg and tried to get it back. "The General wants this as proof. There is nothing I can do right now."

"Why? Why?"

"Because you weren't ready. If we let you go in now, you will die, your friends would die. I promised people to keep you and my children safe, but how can I keep that at ease if you're somewhere else with nothing to save you?" He left.

Rika, Henry and the others came only to find me on the floor sobbing, Guilmon's hut destroyed and the portal lost and gone. We failed . I failed. They helped me up but by the time I was on my feet, I realized how I messed up big time for my friends. "I should have just let it go." I said. Henry put his hands on my shoulders and said, "No you shouldn't." Rika came in and both of them held out something that united them: Their digivices. I remembered that I kept mine in my pocket. I held it out in front of them and Jeri put her hand on mine. She whispered into my ear. "We won't either."

I smiled with tears drying out of my face, as I wiped them off. I turned to the Hut and changed my thoughts. "We wait. We get ready." I can feel how they felt towards me in a right way. "There is more than one portal, and we are going into it."


	3. Recruitment

**Takato:**

Look I'm not going to say we didn't do anything, but after Hypnos covered up Guilmon's hideout with a brand new block, we couldn't do lots of things. Rika, Henry and I met about three days ago, and Henry had the idea to send them voice messages.

We sent some email voice messages and well, at first Rika didn't want to do that. Maybe it was because she doesn't didn't know how to say goodbye to Renamon, but in the end, I heard she was the last one to send the message. Nobody heard each other's messages because they were all private. I send my message for Guilmon, to Henry, just on what happened after they left. I miss my friend. I miss Guilmon.

I miss Jeri. I couldn't talk to her for the past several weeks, and it's making me more agitated of doing something insane. I was near her father's restaurant, and a perfect excuse came to my attention. I needed to pee. I ran to the restaurant. Mr. Katou stopped me. "Takato, the therapist told you, you can't talk to her right now."

"Can I use your restroom?"

"What? Don't you live right down the street."

"I won't make it. Can I use yours?" He gave me a look, a long pause lingers, "Fine but be quick." I thanked him and raced to the restroom. When I got out, Jeri was there. "Takato, what are you doing here I can't talk to you-"

"I came to see you." I've managed to tell Jeri about the whole thing. She seemed ecstatic that was until she took her puppet out and started to talk to me about it. "So that's how much you like Jeri? Woof!"

"Eh-h Well-ll that's." She began to laugh. It was great to see her smile and be more optimistic. "You don't have to be that nervous," she said.

"Why?" I said.

"Because. . . I also. . ." She paused for a bit just to look at me. _Did she mean it? Does she like me?_ I snapped myself out of it. "Ah! Yeah, I came here to invite you to something Jeri."

"Eh? What?"

"Henry came up with this. His idea is to send audio messages to the digital world. By turning it into a packet data, we could send them to the digital world."

"Oh. . ."

"I already recorded mine to Guilmon. So did Henry, Katou, and Kenta and Heard the Ryo came all the way from Tokyo to finish his." I stopped for a second to scratch the back of my head."Rika been acting peeved or something, so she'll be the only one not doing it."

"So everyone faced their feeling for their Digimon?"

"Yeah."

"I think that's a good thing. I do . . ." I can see her contemplating. She might not do it because of Leomon, her partner, is dead. I can empathize with her, but she needs to send a message to the other Digimon. "Jeri. Will you join us."

"But my partner isn't with us anymore."

"Yeah." I looked down. "Your partner isn't here. But, you still have other Digimon who you got along with really well.

"Got along with really well?" She stops for a second and smiles,"You're right."

"That's why I invited you over."

"Thank you, Takato." I looked at her, and she looked at me. We had a short pause, she swayed a bit, leaned in closer, then said, "I'd thought you'd invite me to something else though."

Then I got a bit confused. "Like what?"

"Nothing!" And she left smiling like a ruby. I stopped for a second feeling lovestruck until I finally knew what she meant. "Oh!" I put my arms to cover my eyes and was about to bicker.

"So you went to the restroom, right Takato?"

"Yes, Mister Katou?"

"Ok, you can leave." I was about to run home, "Wait! Take these to your father. Tell him it's his Sakè for that bread everyone likes." He said weirdly. So I asked, " Have you ever tried Guilmon bread, sir."

"What kind of the question is that? Just go and tell your father to make me five of them!"

"Ok, Mr. Katou." I grabbed the bag and gave him a bow. I went through the front door and headed home. The streets crowded more than usual. I got bombarded by a few kids rushing towards me. Some wanted a photo with me, and I stopped just to take pictures, took too long to do so. I arrived at the Zelkova Bridge Mall and thought _I might take a shortcut_. I made a turn to the alleyway. _Well If Guilmon got the message I think that he wouldn't go back to the same place. I've got to find a way to get another portal to open but where can I..._ There were two people were waiting at the end of the alley. I recognized them from the towers; they were soldiers for Kodaki. I began to walk backward, but they saw me and rushed after me.

I ran as fast as I can, but a white van came and blocked my way. They grabbed me and threw me into the van. They tied me up then put a cloth in my mouth. I struggled to get out and passed out from the aroma. When I woke up, I could only hear the music. There a brown bag over my head. I couldn't see nor hear them, but I know what they were going to do.

"Cut the music!" The music stopped I could hear footsteps, and a sound of a pistol lock pulled back. "Ah boy, you are a relentless one." I can feel the gun pointing in my face. "You cry." I shook my head vigorously. "Cry!"

"That's Private enough. Remove his bag." I managed to get a look at the man's face. I did not know him, but what I did know was that the man is giving orders and starting on my face, was Kodaki. I knew it was going to be him. "Takato. What you did two months ago was impressive, even for a, I'm sorry what grade are you in third?"

"Niff brane," I said muffling.

"Can you take off the tape." The private yanked the tape right out of my mouth. The pain I felt was unbearable like getting a staple on your lips and having someone take that out in five seconds. "Ah! Six grade! I said six grade!"

"Only asking a question. That's very impressive, for a man like Yamaki, but I don't think it's impressive at all. In fact, I believe that it's more of an anarchist move than anything else. I know how to get rid of anarchists." He stands up and looks at the soldier and gives him a smile. "Ok private here is the scenario: Boy goes to the market, meets his little girlfriend, goes to an alley, was about to get mugged and gets into a car accident-"

"How about this scenario." I know that voice. It was Yamaki, with Riley and . . . wait. _That's the agent that destroyed Guilmon's Hideout,_ "Takato goes home unscathed!"

"What are you doing Yamaki?" Kodaki was about to throw a punch at Yamaki, but Riley grabs the arm and throws him from the ground. The soldier points the gun at Riley, and the Agent points the gun at the soldier. "Drop your weapon!" The agent ordered, "Or she breaks his arm." Riley put more pressure in Kodaki's arm, like a snake. "Do it!" Kodaki commanded in agonizing pain. The soldier did what he ordered. Riley let go "We can't let you harm Takato, he's just a kid!"

"That boy has done more harm to Japan, and we will not tolerate him. They are dangerous."

"I know." Yamaki looked at me and then he looked back at the general. "That's why I wanted him here."

The general was confused. "What are you talking about?"

"We need to speak, outside of this room." Yamaki gestured him to come out of the chamber. Then everyone left except for a couple of soldiers and the agent. The soldier with the gun looked at the agent. "You think you're mighty cause you blew up a building."

"You think you're such a badass for picking on a kid Private?" The agent said. The soldier walked forward and tried to punch him, but the officer just took him down in a sweeping move. "You think too slow Private."

"Dammit Hiro-" the agent pressed his kneecap to the private's left cheek. "I want you to leave me with Takato."

"Over my dead-ugh! Okay okay." The agent lets go. The private stood up and left.

I am more angry at him than being mad at Kodaki. It was unbelievable, to see this agent is on my side, but at the same time, he destroyed my best friend's home.

"Listen, kid, I know that you're upset-" my hands were tied, but my head would hurt him more. I head butted his mouth, which I shouldn't have done that because it hurts real bad but I didn't care. I was angry. "Ah!" he groaned. "Wow, that hurts! I didn't expect that."

"Where is it?"

"Where's what?"

"My goggles!" I yelled. The agent looked at me like I was dumb, but I wasn't taking any of it. "Okay, you need to calm down-" he said.

"You punched me in the stomach, destroyed my friend's home, stole my goggles, kidnap me, and now I am stuck in a rusty chair, with pain in my head! I'm far from calming down." It felt weird how I was saying it. I was in no mood to be calmed down that's for sure. The agent just looked at me until I gave some form of "relax." He decides to tell me, "Yamaki has them. He will be giving them to you if he sees that you ready for them."

"They're my good-"

"That you left on the side of Yamaki's doorway." he stops. He breathed deeply and began again. "You don't remember me do you?" I didn't know what he was telling me. I shook my head. He went on. "Oh well. Figures my kid had the same problem too you know. " He cut off the rope on my hands. "We started on the wrong foot. You're Takato right?"

"Yes. Who are you? You're a member of HYPNOS, but I haven't seen you before."

"My name is Hiroaki. I'm in charge of the Hypnos headquarters in Shibuya. Well, I was but ever since the incident with the D-Reaper, we had to merge. And now I work with Yamaki, for the new plan."

"Sorry."

"For what? For saving the world?"

"For not remembering you, and getting you fired." I felt shameful, but then Hiroaki started to laugh. I'm still in the chair apologizing to him, and he laughs it off like I'm making giggles for breakfast. Am I confused?

"Oh no, I'm not laughing at you. Just, one, I got demoted which is half the battles of employment. Two, you're not supposed to remember. I mean sorry but you sound a lot like my . . ." he stopped. He turns away from me as his smile left. Something about him rubs me off as a someone who's lost, someone. I asked "Who?"

He turned back to me, "Forget about it." Yamaki came in without Kodaki. He came close to me and stared right at me. "I need you to pay very close attention. No civilian will ever go to the digital world. I plan to keep it that way. I wished you could just accept the fact that they belong over there, and we belong here. But you're right. This life isn't the way it's supposed to be."

I didn't know what this means. I mean don't get me wrong, I think Yamaki's trying to help me get them back, but he says that no civilian will ever go to the digital. . . wait. Is he saying what I think he's saying?

"There is a group, call themselves the System, they've been using ways to create portals to the digital world. My job was not to let them find a way. Even if it meant to destroy the hut."

It was all making sense. "That's why you created the Juggernaut," I interrupted. "That why you destroyed Guilmon's home. You didn't want the Digimon to come back, because of this group?"

"Not just any group. We didn't want a bunch of psychos to use them as weapons." He sighed. "Unfortunately when the D-Reaper hit it destroyed a prison, causing most of the prisoners to flee to the digital world. One of them is the group's leader. We were worried now that a portal had been open, you kids would walk into an ambush.

"That said, we need someone to go into the digital world. Someone has already been there and knows where to go, since you in that chair waiting for an angry general to eliminate you, we might as well use you. We need you to go to the digital world and bring all the prisoners to justice."

I am confused. "Wait I don't get it."

"What part?"

"First, it's so dangerous why don't you guys do it."

"Wish we could. It would have been a lot easier, but the Department of Defense has specifically stated for no one to go in any unknown place without permission. It's protocol. However, since you've been there before it's not entirely unknown to you."

"Protocol." I Sigh out of many dumb loco laws we have here. "Ok, but I'll get killed if I do it alone."

"We are trying to find a way to get the others in this, but right now it's only you."

"I'll get killed without my Digimon."

"I've already assembled a team of the best to train you." Wow. Yamaki has put a lot of work on it. Agent Hiroaki's still here. "What about him? Will I see him again? I mean is one of the agents?"

Hiroaki looks at me with a smirk. "He said best to train, not best to work."

"Ok. But why me?" And then Yamaki gave me the most honest answer I've heard, "Do you want to live to see all your friends again? Kodaki has been waiting to find ways to hurt a tamer. He got you. This was the only way to save you from him. Sure! We could go to someone who is better at Digimon than you, like Henry, Rika or especially Ryo, but if we do that Kodaki will take you away from your family, your friends, and your life. So it's either our way or your face splattered on the highway."

"You don't have a choice, Takato," Riley said. "We don't know what Kodaki would do to you, but join us, and we'll keep you away from him."

"So either I say no and be dead or worse, or I say yes get trained and sent over there and die or worse."

"Least with us you have a fighting chance," Hiroaki said. I sigh with disbelief, _what life I'm living_. "This means we keep our Digimon right? After this, I have to work with you and be part of this agency."

"That's on three conditions: one, you keep this to yourself. We're not sure that we'll be able to take all of you to the digital world. We will contact your parents and let them know and only them. Two, you stay away from danger, at all cost. Takato, You are not fighting; you are not killing, you're training, And finally, Whatever we say you do it. No exceptions. You're going to learn, what you need, and that's it."

I don't know why but I decided to be a little snarky. "What if my friends find out? They always do?" I can tell by Yamaki's face that I made him mad. "I'm serious. Once they find out without our permission we're done, you understand!"

My thoughts ran around my head. _It wouldn't be the same. If I join and get them back, they'll come back to work for Hypnos. I miss them but is it worth it when we are just here as a team to do things for Hypnos._ Yamaki is waiting for an answer. He took out something that belonged to me: My goggles.

"Takato, will you help us?"

That promise inside my head. _We'll play again, won't we?_ Gigimon's last words. _Yeah Guilmon, we'll play._ I took the goggles and put them to my eyes

" **Welcome, Takato."** I looked into Yamaki's eyes and said with pride, "Yeah. I'll do it."


	4. System Spotted

It feels strange to go back school. With everything I have to keep away from Henry, Jeri and the rest of my friends, I don't feel like going at all. In fact, it makes me wonder it Yamaki's little "Academy" would be somehow better than school. Does Hypnos even have a school?

 **Affirmative.**

Ah! Someone is in my room. I sprang into action and grab grabbed my Digivice and a pen. I looked around and then realized no one was in here. **Good Morning. Time 4:30.** **This is your wake up message, please get up.** " _Great I have another parent."_ I got up and head straight to the shower. As I got out of the shower, I had a lot of questions and I need someone, or something to answer. _Oh yeah_ , I thought. _The goggles_. This can help me. "Ok. What are you really?"

 **Prototype 1 Viral Goggles-**

"Can I call you anything besides that and can't you talk like. . . Not a computer?" I waited for a minute or two. _I think I broke it. Great._

 **Waiting for a query. . .** Guess I didn't break it after all. Suddenly there was a knock on my door." "Takato! are you up yet?" My mom asked behind the door.

"Yes, Mom!"

"Ok! Well there is someone that want's to talk to you." I changed quickly. I checked the time but it was about four forty-five. _Who could be downstairs so early_ **Scanning.** _This thing is still on, how do you turn it off_. **There is a middle age man in the room with parents.** **Powering down. Recharge mode.** _Huh. So it responds to thoughts. I'll keep that in mind._ I gathered my belongings _,_ while thinking _what do I need to bring in school_ and who in the world is downstairs right now. I went to go and check in the bakery. "Morning mom. Morning dad. Morn-" _What is Yamaki doing here?_ He walks towards me and greets me with so much charisma, "Hello Takato."

"Hello, Yamaki. What bring you here."

"I came to tell the news to your parents, about last night." I've gotten this wrong feeling. Mom and Dad are looking at me the same way they were staring at me when Yamaki came the other time. Yamaki does not want me to hear it though. He puts his thumb out and gave me a signal to "beat it." "Don't you have school today?"

"Uh yeah- Yes. I have school Today and I am going to school. Right now." I started walking out the door until my mom says, "On an empty stomach? Takato it's 5:20, school starts at 8:30. At least get something to eat." I turn to Yamaki. "I can wait." He nodded. I had to hurry it up though so I sat down and ate my breakfast. Thirty minutes to finish my omelet, milk, and bread and off I went.

 **Hiroaki**

Yamaki invited me over to the Matsuki's. I barely caught up to see Takato running to school panting his breath. _Going to school at this time? Oh Well. I guess I have to see what Yamaki is up to._ I see him with Yoshie and Takehiro, and I have to say am I happy to see them getting accustomed to their new new lives. I started to listen: Yoshie looks into Yamaki's eyes, "So Yamaki, What is it that you want Takato out of the house for?"

"How did you-"

"I know the gesture you gave him. I used to be a teacher remember?"

"Right." I can hear Yamaki sigh while drinking the coffee that Takehiro offered. "I told Takato."

"You told Takato everything?" Takahiro asked.

"No. But I did told him about the foundation." There was a sound of a chair that gave me the impression that someone sat down. Yoshie ask,"What about them I thought that they were gone?"

"Oh yes. They were gone. But this war is not over. when the D-reaper destroyed almost half of the city, it destroyed one small part of a prison. That prison was holding half of the members of Foundation. . ." I closed in; they saw me. They both were surprize to see me, Yoshie stood up from the chair to hug me. "Hiroaki."

"Hello Yoshie. Hey Takehiro." I took a seat with Yamaki. "I can't sugarcoat this, so I'm just going to tell you the truth. Ken was in that prison." Yoshie's eye started to widen as she heard that name. "Oh no. Oh no, no." Yoshie began to cry as she sat down. Takehiro comfort her. "Where is he now?"she said.

"We don't know. We've tried to locate Kentaro, but right now we can only assume that Ken is either out in the city of in the digital world."

"The digital world. I wondered how Takato would be devastated to never get the chance to see Guilmon again."Takehiro said. I glanced at Yamaki so he could have an opportunity to open his mouth. "Well about that?"

"No. No, no, no." I guess Yoshie knows where this is heading. "Don't you dare send him out there! He'll get killed."

"Relax we're not sending him out there alone."

"Even if the other kids are going, Takehiro interrupts, "It's too dangerous now for a couple of children now with those murderers out there."

"Ok, will both of you listen for a bit?" I couldn't keep my cool for a bit, but that was the only way they would listen. "Yamaki talked to Takato and he will be trained to go back for his digimon. He and his friends will be prepared. Just if they permitted."

"Who is they?"

"Our boss."

"You were demoted?" Yoshie asked. She didn't know that we lost our position due to the D-Reaper. "I'm sorry to hear that you both lost your job but our answer is no." Yoshie said. Yamaki has his chess face going. Yamaki has butted head with Yoshie before Takato became a tamer; She was a very difficult woman to break. Yeah she could be emotional, but her intelligence in mind games is active. "Takato being a Tamer was his choice,"

"But you allowed him." I said.

"Because he was ready to be more responsible." Takehiro interrupted.

"How is this different?"

"He's not fighting with cards anymore." Yoshie broke in, " We can't just pick up the card and do what those kids can. This is different though, he'll be fighting men with guns and have no problem murdering children. I know what kind of monster they are. He doesn't."

I just want to let you know." I said. "We have a school." Everyone including Yamaki just stare. "Takato has done a lot of great thing and so has his friends but only Takato has the opportunity to be enrolled to go to a brand new top class school with teachers that can teach him things you can't get at a regular school."

"Yes." Yamaki said. I have planned on doing some recruitment for specialists and educators. We are building an academy for exceptional kids for special skills, Like Takato-"

"Stop, just stop." Yoshie said."Let us talk to Takato and we'll think about it.¨

 **Takato**

"Aw man! I lost again." Kenta said.

" that's right Kenta. You should know that a Tyranomon can still beat a Gomamon." I can hear Kazu and Kenta still playing the Digimon game. Jeri and Henry were there giggling at the sight of the two. "Hey guys!" I yelled out.

"Hey, Chumley!" Kazu said. Henry's got this huge grin on his face. "Aren't you usually late?"

"Yeah, but My alarm woke me up a little earlier." Jeri kept looking at me. I can feel myself blushing when she came to me and said. "I need to talk to you, after school ok?"

"Uh, okay."

The school bell rang. I'm not going to say anything bad about school because so far Today has been easygoing. Most of the classes were pretty basic but the newer things they were going to teach us is how to perform a Haiku and how to speak English. English! There are so few words that I barely know in Japanese now they put a whole new language. They also told us that now the ministry of education decided it was best to have all the children in a proper school uniform like in Rika's academy. it was supposed to make us feel more like we matter or something, but I don't what my parents think when they see the prices.

When school was over, Kazu and Kenta wanted to go to the park so that we can start our own tournament. Henry called Rika to see if she wants to come over but she has so much to do, that she would come later on. "So I'll see you guy's at the park right." Henry asked.

"Yeah." I said. "We won't take long." Henry smiled and left me alone with Jeri. Jeri looks at me with sheer delight. I remembered what she had said to me on the other night. "Jeri?"

"Yes, Takato."

I was just wondering if you . . ." I couldn't get it out. She waits. "If you ever want to go someplace and talk, I'll be free for you."

It felt nice that Jeri wanted to talk to me. "Takato?"

"Huh?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Are you okay, with the new year in school?"

"Oh yeah." Jeri took out her little dog puppet and started talking about it. "Bark! Bark! Don't you miss not being in school?"

I just giggled a little bit. "I don't think I like going to school."

"Do you miss Guilmon? Bark!"

"Yeah. I wonder what he is doing now?" Jeri looks at me with a grin on her face. she pats me in the shoulders and holds me tight. That surprised me. I know that we've bonded a little bit but this was new from her. "I miss him too." she whispers in my ear.

 **Omniscient**

I do not like the digital world. I come back and now other humans are after me. They took Guardromon, Lopmon, and Terriermon. Calumon flew away with Marineangemon, and Impmon and Renamon ran with me until they were captured. I'm lost. I'm alone. Takato, I want to play. I want bread. I want to be with everyone again.

"The raptor! There he is! Get him!"

Oh no! They found me. I could keep going but I don't know where to go. I turned to face them. "Pyro Sphere." They screamed fleeing away from the blast. "You can't run forever!" they said. I moved to the top of a dirt mountain and there I can see a purple portal. "Somebody Help me! Please! Help!"

 **Takato**

"Did you hear that?" Jeri started looking at me like I was crazy. "Hear what?"

"I think," I walked toward a familiar sound. A faint call for me. "Takato!"

"Takato?" Jeri says.

"I think it's Guilmon." I started to run towards the sound. I forgot about Jeri. I put my goggles. _Find Guilmon_.

 **Scanning. . . Guilmon located in the digital world.** I can hear him though. Maybe there is some portal. _Then find me a portal._

 **Scanning. . . Portal is near turn left.** I can hear my heart pounding and Jeri calling out, "Takato, wait!" but I had to keep going. I know I promised Yamaki but this might be the portal that can bring them back. "I'm coming Guilmon!" I saw on my map that the entrance is located somewhere in a warehouse.

 _Wow_ , I thought, looking around the area. _This place has got to be the dirtiest store in Shinjuku._ Jeri came running after me. "Takato?"

"There is a portal here somewhere."

"Shouldn't we go tell Henry or Rika."

"I don't want them to come unless I know for sure that there is a portal there." I started to look for windows; every single window is so dirty. I looked up and there was an open window. Jeri looks up as well and sees what I wanted to do. "Don't you think this is too much?"

"Yes." I began to climb the nearest ladder. "But I made a promise to a friend and not doing this is a way of breaking it."

"Takato let me-"

"You can go home if you want-"

"I want to come with you."

"Oh." I can feel myself blush. _Way to go Takato._ "Okay. But we have to be careful not to make too much noise." She began to climb _up._ I helped her get to the window and we were able to make it. We went inside and see, what looks like a bunch of construction workers and mechanics doing their jobs. not really anything unusual, until I saw the portal, on the edge of the house, with people going in and out of it. "They're going in the digital world." Jeri said "Why are they doing that?"

"I don't know?" I put on my goggles and requested **Telescopic Vision.** There was a lot of cages with men pushing through the portal, guns, and weapons in boxes and a small group of men in suits huddled in a small corner.

"Takato? why are you-"

"They're . . . They're hunting."

"Hunting Digimon?"

"I think so."

"Takato- we have to go, " Jeru said. I notice that here was a bolt falling and a Machomon the corner of the wall looking at us. "Jeri look out!"

"Radiant Flare!" The fireball barely missed us and we ran to the window.

"Intruder! Intruders!" The man pulled the alarm and we can see a lot of them running towards the man. The window closed shut and there was no way out. I looked at Jeri, "Follow me!" We ran downstairs as we hid behind a couple of boxes. They run right passed us. "Where are the intruders.

"I don't know?"

"Find them."

"It's just two kids. How bad can they be."

"Well find them anyway" They were all over the whole place searching for us.

"Okay Jeri, I'm going to find the door and then run for it." I turn back to see Jeri was missing. "Jeri? Jeri." I sneaked from box to box. They shine

"Takato." Jeri said. She grabs my hand and tugs me to her direction. "I found a few digimon."

 _What._ I kept following her until she took me to a cage, where inside the cage are a Lillymon, a Flamedramon, and "Impmon?"

"Hey! Human please let us free," said Flamedramon.

"Impmon is that you?"Jeri asked.

"Takato, Jeri? Am I glad to see you." Impmon looked beaten up from his journey. The bandana around his neck is torn from the sides and I think there was a small hole in his right ear. "What did they do to you?" I asked him. The Lillymon came towards us and said, "Those men shot him."

"What?" I said. "Why are they doing this?

Bang! Shots fired over our heads. I can hear them coming towards the cages.

"You!" I hear someone behind me. It's one of the members. "You think you can steal from the system?!" Allomon! Gargoylemon! Kill these Trespassers!" Flamedramon jumps in front of us. "Go! I Hold them back!" Flamedramon leaped and attacked Allomon. "Flame Rocket!" the rocket launched towards Allomon. Allomon saw the rocket and evaded it barely, having the rocket hit one of the factory's tank. The tank exploded causing a fire.

"You have to get out of here/" Lillymon screeched. I grabbed Impmon, but he struggle and pushed me away. "I don't want to go yet. I want to fight."

"But you're injured." Jeri said.

"Just go and run before this place blows. We'll hold them off." I looked around to see that this place was catching fire fast. I took Jeri's hand, "We need to go now." We ran until we found an exit. Impmon and Lillymon went back for Flamedramon, giving us a way to go home freely.

"Do you think they'll make it out of there alive?"

"I don't know-?"

Takato. What's going on? How did you know that a digital portal was there?"

"I heard it."She was clueless."What?" she asked. "How?"

"Guilmon. He was calling my name, I heard it like an echo. He was . . . there."

"But I didn't hear him. I just saw you running out of nowhere, and then we see those people. What happening!"

"Jeri please!" I held her. She immediately stopped. "I don't know what's happening," I said, "I don't even know who those people were,"I lied. "That doesn't matter. What matters is that, the Digimon are still here and we can find and free them."

"Do you think we need to tell the others-"

"No."

"No?"

"Not yet. Those people had guns and other Digimon fighting for them."

"Maybe they're forced to do so."

"Maybe, but we can't risk it. We can't tell anyone." Jeri looks down. I can tell that she is panicking. "Please Jeri."

"Ok but I won't make a promise about it. Dr. Kozuko said I should tell him everything."

"Well whatever you do, don't tell him about what happened."

"I have to tell him."

"Then tell him. . . a true story." Jeri looked at me like I'm from another planet. "What I mean is give them a story but instead of digimon say. . . um. . . puppets and instead of guys with guns it's. . . Guys with candy. Okay?"

"I see what you're getting at. Okay."

"Thank you Jeri." The sun was setting I looked at the streets to see only a few stores were still open and many were closing. I looked at Jeri "It's getting late I have to go."

"Me too. See you Tomorrow."

"Bye Takato." I was about to leave until she took out her puppet and put it lips to my cheeks. "Mwuah! Bark! Bark! Don't be late for school or you'll be sorry." She left after that.

I ran as fast as I can to get home, but maybe it was best to walk. I open the door, "I'm home!" Nobody was in the kitchen. Usually we close at eight, but it was seven fifteen when I got there. "Mom? Dad?" I move into the bedroom they weren't there, checked my room and they weren't there either. I went the living room. "Mom?"

"Hello Takato." My mom didn't looked like herself. She looked rather irritated by what's going on. "How was school?"

"Good. Where is dad?"

"He's still talking to Yamaki outside. I think we need to sit down and talk." I didn't know what she wanted to talk about but I took a seat anyway. "Okay what do you want to talk about?"

"Do you miss Guilmon?"

"Yes. I miss him"

"So you want to move schools?"

"What?"

"She asked if you want to move schools?" My dad said, coming in with Yamak. They were holding the sake Mr. Katou gave to me.

"No."

"No?" Yamaki asked

" I mean, I don't know, what you mean by that?"

"Didn't you forget our deal?" Yamaki said. "We are just ready to send you to base today, but since you came so late, I guess we can leave tomorrow." I was still confused about what Yamaki is saying. " The academy is ready but it's very far away so I suggest you to pack up."

"Wait Yamaki, we didn't agree to this." My mom said. My dad put his hand on her shoulder. "Yoshie, I think Takato should make the choice himself." Yamaki glared at me and asked,"Do you still want to do this?."

"Did you try to get Henry or Rika-"

"No. . .Hiroaki tried to make a bargain with Kodaki for both of them to join you, but he refused all of the deals. You have to do this alone." He sighed. "If you don't want to do this then that's fine-"

"I want to." I said. "We made a deal and I said yes. I won't back out, I won't give up. I promise you that I will get them back." Yamaki and I didn't speak. Finally after a few seconds he looked towards my mom and said, "He really is your son, Yoshie." And with that he left.

I was confused about what he said to her. "Mom what did he meant by that?" She looked as if I found her mug picture. "Nothing really important, we should just go to -"

"But I want to know what he meant." I turned to my dad. "Dad can you tell me?"

"Takato, I don't think we should tell you this right now-" my mom said but dad interrupted her. "Yoshie, I think we need to tell him." They both came and sat down on the couch and then gestured me to sit as well. I was wondering what they were going to tell me."Takato, your mother and I knew Yamaki."

"What do you mean?" I asked. How did they know Yamaki before Digimon came to our world? "Well Takato," mom began to explain, "We were once working for Yamaki."

What. I felt my heart skip a beat. What? Are they completely serious. What! "You were agents."

"Yes and no." Dad said." We're more like street agents. Your mother was a teacher in high school and I was a martial arts instructor. We were only part of Yamaki's group for a couple of years then we retired."

"Huh? You know Martial arts, and you didn't even teach me some of them?"

"You never asked me to teach you some." Dad said. Mom decided to speak for my dad. "Takáto, we didn't want to be agents all our lives," she reached for my dad's hand and held it, "And so when we had you, well we just decided to move on."

"Oh okay." I said calmly. "So do you know about the System."

"System?" dad asked. "What about a system?" I couldn't believe they were confused about something this big. "Not a system," I said, "The System."

"What do you know about the System?" Mother asked me. "We don't know about this System. Maybe about the c-" Dad stopped her. She looked straight into his eyes as if they knew something I didn't."

"Mom? Dad? I only know that Yamaki is against them, but I want to know more. Do you know?" there was silence. I could tell that they don't want to say anything right now. "Okay then. I am tired and I need to get ready for tomorrow."

"Takato." My mom said to me. I got up and looked at her waiting to what I need to know. Facing each other, mother and son, she couldn't bear to give me anything. She just sighed, "Goodnight Takato."


	5. The Academy

**Takato**

 **Warning. . . Warning . . . Warning. . .** So little time to sleep. The alarm in my goggles wakes me up. I picked them up and put them on. _Now what?_

 **Intruder Coming in thirty seconds.** _What?_ I thought. Who would come in here? Could it be those people at the warehouse that those guys won't find me at home? I scatter around to find something that could protect me. _Aw Nuts! I can't seem to find anything useful._

 **Takato. Would you like me to assist you?**

"Yes please."

 **Walk down stairs**. Ok, I am walking downstairs. **Locate the bat in the closet.** A bat? I checked the closet, and to my surprize, there was my dad's baseball bat. My dad usually keeps a lot of his stuff in this cabinet, and yes he has told me that he was once an active guy, even yesterday. I think he wouldn't mind if I use it on someone trying to break in.

 **Walk upstairs and open the door.** Ok. I try my best not to wake up my parent and tiptoe my way through the door. _Ok._ I thought _This is it. Just open the door and let him have it._ I grabbed the knob, and I heard a creak. _Wait. I didn't open the door._

 **The intruder located in Parents room.**

"Takato!" I hear my mom scream so loud I jump and cover myself as if the shrieks would shank me. I raced to mom and dad's room to find . . . "Lillymon?"

"Oh, Takato! It's not what you think?" She said trying to look around for a way out." I was looking for your room." My mom and dad were angrily glaring at me on the left side, and on the right, Lillymon was just looking at them and then imitated them for some weird reason.

"You have a lot of explaining to do!" Dad said. Mom walked towards me and took my ear and started to drag me downstairs. She made me sit on the table. Lillymon followed, and Mom knew that she was there. When both of their eyes met mom relaxed and said to her "Could you please sit on the other side." Lillymon relaxed on the opposite end of the table. Dad came down with the bat, put it in the closet and slams the door. "Takato, explain why a Digimon came to our room?" Mom said.

"You won't like what I am going to tell you." Dad brought Mom a chair to sit on as he brought his own and said holding her hand. "Try us."

I took a deep breath and began. "I followed a map to where another digital portal is. That where I found Lillymon."

"Where is it ?" Mom asked. I looked at her and decided, to be honest. "At a warehouse, just a couple of blocks from the park."

"Who else was there? Henry and Rika-"

"No only me, and . . . Jeri." They both looked at each other and dad as if they both knew what to do. "We have to call Yamaki."

"No, wait!"

"Wait!" Lillymon and I stood up as Dad stood and reached for the phone. Lillymon continued,"I can't go back. Not now. You don't know what they did to us. You don't know what those people did to the digital world. My friends captured and put in those cold cages. I'll leave if you want just-"

"Why are you leaving?" Dad asked. Lillymon looked stunned. "I thought he was in trouble because of me."

"You don't have to leave. You're not in trouble." I was relieved. Lillymon began to bloom with joy. "Thank you, oh thank-" Mom then stood up and said to her, "But if you want to stay, then there is a lot of work that needs to be done."

"I'll do anything you'll say. Thank you, thank you."Lillymon said with glee and relief. My mom looks at me. "And we still have to tell Yamaki when he get's here."

"Do you think it would be okay if he knew about it say, three months from now?"

"You're not off the hook that easy." Dad pats me on the back. "Go ahead and get ready. Yamaki will be coming soon."

 **Three hours later**

I packed my things for a week. Seven shirts, four pants, seven pairs of socks, and a pair of blue jeans. _This is great. I have a Digimon in my house, my parents are calling_ _Yamaki, and I'm being hunted down by adults who are trying to enslave Digimon. What could go wrong?_ I thought. _Huh. At least I have these goggles._ I put them on. **Good morning Takato.**

"Good morning. . . whatever your name is." I never got what it prefers to call it. "What can I call you?"

 **Scanning . . .**

 _Wow really? How much longer-_

 **Scanning complete. Prototype 1 Viral Goggles locked as the secondary name. New name for a primary. . .** The name revealed on the screen of the glasses. Only one letter shown. V

"Your name is V."

 **Yes. The name is temporary. I am waiting for the order.**

Ok. I'm starting to see what this baby could do. "V, I want to go to the digital world."

 **Skill not available. Try again.**

"Skill not available? What do you mean?"

 **V:1**

 **Digivice:60-60=0**

 **Takato:0**

"I still don't understand what that means!"

"It means that after the last couple of months all the things that you have done have no effect on the training you will have." Yamaki was by the door. He was leaning towards the frame looking around my room, looking like he was picking up memories. "I know what you did at the warehouse. That's the first strike. The worst thing was that you brought a civilian along with you."

"Jeri is a tamer like me."

"Yes but the fact that she was there is a lot worse, considering her experience with Digimon, she couldn't handle another situation like that." He grabbed my luggage and placed it on its wheels. "So your mother and Takehiro told you the truth, huh? What do you think?"

"What do I think? I love the idea of my parents being spies for a company then try to live a normal life and start a family. I just don't understand why a bakery though?" Yamaki laughed at my response.

"My thoughts exactly," he said. "I get it though. They didn't want the past to come back and hurt what they have now, so they created a haven for the three of you. To think with the intelligence your dad and mother had they could live in a mansion and have you into an all-boys academy, right next to Rika's academy. However, they chose to work their way into the life you had, and let me say it's not bad."

"What do you mean?"

"Well it might look like owning a bakery, doing custodianship, or any other trades are not going to get you to success, but I came in Yesterday and saw how the two of them look: working as a team and happy like lovers." I thought about it, how my parents were before and after Guilmon. He was right.

Every day there they were baking and running the busiest bakery in Shinjuku -that's exaggerated, but it's true- they are always hopeful, they were happy. Yeah, we have our ups and downs, but the reality is that they truly are happy here. So I can understand why they would react with Guilmon, with Lillymon, and with all this madness of Digimon in general. They know how to deal with this before because "You've dealt with Digimon before right?"

"Where did you think the show got its ideas. Digimon had been around long before the Internet." He sat on my bed. "When America sent its astronauts to the moon we thought that was the final frontier. They sent astronauts in spaceships to explore the great beyond. Then submarines were made stronger to dive deep dark abyss. And people think that's the final frontier. When the Monster Makers created programs in Palo Alto, they had no idea they were making the final frontier. The digital world."

I grabbed my things. If we were going to keep talking, we'd be talking all day. "So what happened? Tell me Yamaki."

"Let's go. I'll tell you more about what I know." We went downstairs. I said my goodbyes to my parents. As I got into the car, I looked at Yamaki expecting to keep telling me his story but, instead, he closed the door. "Yamaki? What are you doing?"

"Well, I wasn't going to tell you all of what I know at this moment. Yuri will take you to base."

"Wait, Yuri? Who's Yuri?" I turned to see the. . . Oh no. It's the man from before, the crazy driver. "Hey, there my friend!"

"Yamaki I changed my mind. Maybe I can wait-" Yuri didn't bother letting me finish begging for Yamaki to see me. He stepped on the gas the car road down the streets. _Too fast,_ I thought, _he's going too quickly_.

 **Would you like me to try to slow him down?** _V, I forgot you could hear my thoughts. Yes, he's going too fast. Please slow him down_. Immediately the traffic light went from green to red in a split second. I thought he would stop, but he went through seven red light and a couple of stop signs.

Yuri's crazy. As he drove the highway like a lunatic, he turned to my attention and started a conversation. "So Takato, I went to that restaurant you told me. Very delicious teriyaki pork, and the sake..." he kissed his right fingertips as some foreign gesture, " I need to get my friends to come here. Shinjuku is now mi beloved country."

"Don't you mean city! Look out!" I yelled to get his attention on the road. "Oh yes that as well." He said as if he could drive the road without seeing it.

V wasn't helping at all. Nothing can stop this guy from going at seventy speed on the road. Every light he passed, every sign he ignored, even the police couldn't catch him because he outran them.

"So these Digimon, how many have you fought?"

"What?"

"You know, battle. Cards, monsters, chaos, and you win. It sure looks fun doing that job."

"Yeah, it sure is fun for my friend and me doing. . . This job."

"So tell me, how many have you fought."

"I don't know maybe a dozen maybe more."

"Ah, I see. Going to keep to yourself. I say you're quite some warrior to fend off monsters. Shame that you probably can't fight along side with your friends once more."

"Yeah, I can't believe what they're thinking right now. My friends are in school, and I transfer to another one. They don't know what I am doing."

"I see your pain, but trust me." His accent faded, and he began to speak correctly. "When I'm done with you, your friends will understand. The choice you've made will affect them for the better."

"You accent changed."

"I can change my tone. I like my accent, but sometimes I have to hide it." We made it to the forest side of Japan. "That is something that I will teach you."

"Huh? You're my teacher?"

"Teacher? No, a teacher teaches you the basics of things. I'm more of your professor. I am going to help you with surviving what's out there." We stopped at a small house, with a cherry blossom tree next to it. Ahead were the farmhouse and a large shack. I guess that Yuri isn't a reliable cleaner because it looked like a party took place there. "This is where we will train. We will be out of that gross city smell and civilization and work on what you need."

" like what?"

"Self defense, endurance, strategies, using that head of yours so that they won't behead you. You know, for kids." he walked towards the house, looked around and took out a card. A scanner pops out, and he sticks his finger to it. The door opens up, "Come in Takato. I must show you something."

"I thought you were going to show me around the place," I said. I was wondering why Yamaki wanted me to train here and not the academy. "I am, but first I have to take you to the school." Riley popped out of nowhere to greet me. "Hello, Takato. I'm sure you and Yuri got to know each other." She grinned at both of us. Riley. . . She must have known about my parents. She would drop in to buy that day old bread, but now I think it was more that just a day old bread.

"Takáto. We should go inside I show you around the training grounds." Riley said as she gestured towards the little shack. I was confused. "What's wrong?" Riley asked me! "I thought we were going to the academy."

"My lad. This place is the academy." He threw his arm over my shoulders, and we walked inside, an empty living room with a purple button. Riley walked in and pressed it. Immediately the floor shook and slowly lowered down to the academy. The environment had been a lot quieter then I expected. Bright light blue walls and gray levels, with a few agents and engineers working and walking on some machine.

Riley gave me a guide around the area. There was a training playground, a small classroom with one desk (my desk), a large cafeteria with a couple of street agents eating the many cuisines the chefs had to offer, a library, restrooms and bathhouses, and finally my room in a dormitory where people rarely sleep in. "So am I the only one getting trained the whole time?"

"Yes." Riley sighed. "Kodaki instructed us not to ask the rest of the tamers to help you in any form. As far as he knows, you are the only tamer we are training."

"Oh. . ." I can't believe that I'm going to be here, by myself just training and learning. If this is college, I will consider trade school, because I can't handle this much space.

"Oh cheer up Takato. I did say as far as he knows." Riley said, which got me wondering if they were kidding. Could Yamaki go behind General Kodaki's back, and get the others.

"Takato!"

"Hey, Takato!" I looked around to follow the noise. I followed it to see Rika, Henry, and Ryo running from the playground towards the halls. I grew ecstatic and ran to meet them halfway. "Guys!" I called out until I hugged Rika, then patted both Henry and Ryo. "Yamaki told you about the academy."

"We met him at the playground," Henry said. "He said he'd send all our parents letters about this free 'program.' My parents knew what was going on, so they let me come here."

"My dad got the letter," Ryo said. "He wasn't very fond of the idea of me going away for a week, but Yamaki explained how it would work." He took out a new blue flip phone. "I have to call him in the mornings and nights."

I turned to Rika. She had been quiet real quick after Henry and Ryo talked about their parents. "Rika are you okay?"

"I, I'lI talk to you about it later." She said as she looked around. "This massive underground bunker will be our school? Well okay, who are the teachers."

"I happen to be one of them," Yuri said. The other two will be on their way, but they stated that we need to be aware of how much training you need."

"You mean we're not going to train the same way?" I asked.

"Yes and no. While you're all going to be training the same way some of you need a bit more focus and more test than the rest. I mean you Takato." They all nodded in agreement. I still had something in mind. "How did you guys get here?"

"They led us into a subway," Henry said. I was shocked the fact that we had a subway. _Wait a minute_ I thought.

"We have a subway into the city, and you drove me why?" I asked Yuri.

"To get to know you better." I looked at him like he was crazy. Scratch that, he was crazy. Taking the car and driving like that. He could have killed me.

"Hey, relax," Ryo said. "At least you still could catch up."

"Why would they even have us working in secret," Henry asked. "What did you even do to have to get sent to this place?"

I told them truthfully. "I got the General angry."

"General Kodaki." Ryo states the obvious."I met him before. He doesn't like Digimon or anyone that's connected." I looked at Rika. She hasn't spoken for a while, and when Ryo mentioned the name Kodaki, she shivered. "Rika?" I asked. "Are you okay?"

"Kodaki is dating my mom." Ryo and Henry stare at her too. "What!"

"Two days ago I saw her with that old bat with badges. She was having fun introducing Kodaki to my grandma and me, not knowing the fact that I already know him. That night he told us he wanted to take me out of school and into his academy. She agreed. Just like that." She pauses to look at her feet then she smiles at me. I don't know why but it made me blow red of embarrassment. "You were right, Takato. We are getting them back."

Henry and Ryo smiled too. "We're going to bring them back aren't we?" Ryo asked.

"Yeah. We are. Or, maybe our friends might come back themselves." Rika said. "It didn't matter because when it's all over, we'll be together again."

"I hope you've grown accustomed as a team!" a voice echoed towards the door. It was Kodaki with some other soldier. "Because when Yamaki barged into my office with this idea of an academy with young cadets and their. . . Pets, I thought of firing him on the spot. Then again, the way I see it, you four have agreed to do this." He pointed at me. "And in the end you will be of use to Japan. So yes I know about this project, and I sincerely wish you all a good luck. And to truly keep an eye on you Lieutenant Moto will be your drill sergeant." The soldier came forth. He looked foreign, with brown hair and green eyes, cream like coffee and built like he was sculpted from a tree, wooden. Standing there waiting for the general's command, "Carry on Lieutenant." said the general, as he turned and left the area. The soldier soon relaxed.

"All right, Line up!" He ordered. At first, we all looked at each other, then in a split second ran and lined up in one row, facing Moto. He glared at us. Walking from Henry to Me and back, waiting for one of us to flinch. "At ease." He said. I relaxed and breathed; maybe this wasn't. Such a good idea.

"As you now know, I drill sergeant Marko Moto, but tomorrow you must call me Drill Sergeant. Right now since you are just children and this is your first day in the academy, I will let this day slide, but tomorrow I will test your stress and your skills. Tomorrow I will not care how old you are, in my eyes you are soldiers. Riley will test your intelligence, and Yuri will test your strategy and tactics."

"I'm not sure if you know this Marko," Yuri interrupted, "But I was assigned to test their endurance-"

"It has been changed!" Moto stated. Yuri stood there quietly with a look of failure. Moto continued, "I will record just about your status on only four things: Speed, Strength, Intelligence, and Duration. You must be advanced in at least three of these when we're done for the first week, because if you don't. . . Might as well go back to school and forget about the past. Stay by the end of the first week, that's your choice and more work for me. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes," Ryo said. Marko looked at him and smiled. "Yes," said Henry, as He took a long-winded breath. "Yes, " Said Rika. He darted his eyes towards each one of us, like a sniper aiming for a shot. "Yes," I said. Then he turned towards me and said with confidence and a chuckle, "Then from all the agents of the facility and the boss himself, welcome to Hypnos. Go to your rooms."


	6. First mission first fight (part 1)

The week just keep getting weirder and weirder. Lillymon was getting adjusted with the bakery, Yamaki comes to the academy to see how well we are doing, which we aren't, and Marko is working us up like we're prisoners of, well prison. It took us one week to get ourselves on the top of the scale, barely. I couldn't catch up on Intelligence, which got Marko upset. He confronted me about it. "Matsuda, you're lagging on the intelligence scale. Even Akiyama is brighter than you."

"I apologize drill sergeant, but I'm not that smart."

"Can't have that. I can't have that at all." He moved closer towards me. "'You have to be smart 'enough' that's all I'm asking. Right now you're excelling at strength, stamina, and speed, which is good if you're running away. That's just telling me that you are the pawn of the group. You know what a pawn is to me?"

"No drill sergeant."

"Useful test subjects. The dumb ones that can't do decent math but can run, jump, and punch. The first to go. The first to die. I don't want pawns, and I don't want dupes at all. The academy has too many, and I'd rather gather them all up and start using them as target practice. I want knights, hunters, scouts, rogues and dammit!" He paused himself, probably calming himself before he strangles me, "I want smart soldiers. If you want to go to the mission, three is all you need. To survive out there with those maniacs running around, I suggest you buck up and reach for four. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir-"

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, drill sergeant," I said, and with that he let me go. By Friday, we had to go back home and rest so like kids we took every chance to rest. I took to the bed, slept throughout the day trying to heal the soreness of my body and mind.

On Saturday though I didn't rest. Flamedramon came at the roof with Impmon, hurting real bad. Jeri came by to take care of him, and to see me.

They really bonded. Ever since the last time we saw them, Impmon has asked Jeri so many times if she can forgive him. "I forgive you." She says while mending the bandages. I was there giving them all snacks and trying to be a good host when Impmon asked. "Takato? Are you going back?"

"Back? Back where?" I asked, trying to keep Yamaki's word.

"To the digital world, ya goggle head. Don't play dumb with me, I know you're going."

"Well," I paused for a moment. "Even if I was, what about it?" Impmon paused and looked at Jeri."There is a place. In the digital world where data can be extracted. There is a way to bring Leomon back." Jeri and I looked at each other. "There is a way to bring dead Digimon back?" I asked.

"Yes," he said. "I was going to bring him back. Until they caught me."

"Where is it?"

"It's someplace the purple beams would take you. You have to take me with you to get there."

"But what will happen to you?" Jeri asked. Impmon looked really sad. "I don't know... " Impmon paused, "What will happen to me. I might not make it. I think I'm okay with it."

"What about Ai and Mako?"

"I think they would be ok with it. I just wished that I could explain it to them." He started to cry. I felt so badly for him. "I'm coming. . . " Impmon coughed. "I'm coming with you. Tell me when you go."

"So you can go into that place?"

"Yes."

"No."

"No?" Impmon said. He got angry and wanted to get up, but his wounds stopped him from doing so. "You're lucky I haven't completely healed."

"I need to think about it, and I think you should too. It's bad enough that you're hurt, but you want to kill yourself for something you don't even know if it exists." I left Impmon to think about it. Walked straight down to my room and studied for what Marko has in store for us.

2 days later

Pant. Pant. "Hurry! Hurry! Run faster. Run Faster!" I don't think I could make it to twenty laps around the entire training grounds. I don't even get it Marko and Yuri have been training me non-stop but Rika, Henry, and Ryo all get to have long breaks and the leave to their dorms and come back the next day. I only have thirty minutes of free time at around 10 o'clock 2 o'clock and 6 o'clock, and I have to begin my next lessons and training. It was seven o'clock get to the grounds, then one hour of workout, then it's two hours of learning new things with survival and tactics. After that, it's all over again with a new lesson. I hate this.

"Takato! Come on! Your slower than you were last week." Marko. Why did Yamaki have me train with him and only him? Yuri is there to be his secretary, and even he looks like he does not like him. "Stop!" I dropped. I felt like my heart is leaking. I couldn't breathe. I could hear Markos steps as he approaches me. "You know the diet you have at home is probably making you weaker. Maybe we should cut the food there completely I can talk to your parents right now."

"No."

"No what? If you can't improve your credit for your stats and your health, then you might as well wait a couple more years for Guilmon-"

"Leave him out of this." Marko lifts me up and drags me to a table. On the table, there was a deck of cards. Yuri had another deck. "Ok Takato I'm going to start," Yuri said calmly.

"Just start Yuri!" Marko yells. I could catch a glimpse of his face. He was looking at the other side of the grounds; I can hear Kodaki laughing.

As Yuri played me, I hear Marko repeating, "Don't pause, keep going," over and over. We did just that. I was ok with the Digimon game. Sometimes I win, other times not so much. However, I am usually calm when I play. Having Marko tell us "don't stop" and to "think quicker," makes me so anxious, I could not think clearly. I lost three times in a row.

"Three losses Marko."

"Three? And you call yourself a Tamer?" I wanted to look down since he is on my face. "Don't look down Matsuki!"

"Why are you like this? I've been to the digital world-"

"With your friends and partner being there, but this time you're going to a more dangerous place with no Digimon and having a bunch of grown-ups wanting to kill you." I can't stop breaking into tears. That got him more upset. He lifts me off the chair and stands me up like a puppet. I landed on my knees while he brings up an arena, where . . . Well, what do you expect from this dojo? "You need to get up there."

"Why?"

"Just do what I say."

"No!"

"No?" He, looked at me like he wanted to kill me. I looked at Yuri, and he just stood up. "Marko! That's enough. He didn't know about the warehouse-"

"I know that he doesn't know," Marko said with the look of sadness. He looked back at me. "You're done for today. Go to your room." I got up and ran towards the door. I walked through the hallways passing the other agents and into my room. I peek through the window to see where I was. I can tell that we are no longer in the city anymore. The place looks more like a forest, and I could see a distant road about thirty miles from here. I feel like running away. I don't think I can even bring them back.

I hear the door open. "I heard that Marko let you go for today." I turned to see Hiroaki standing by the door, closing it as he entered my room.

"I don't think he likes me ."

"Well no. He doesn't, but he wants you to be ready-"

"I've been to the digital world. I've seen it, I've experienced it, I've fought monsters and took down a giant virus, and now I have to train like I don't know any better?" I hammered at the wall.

"You just have doubts about yourself," He said. "So many would let their own doubts kill themselves. Stick to the program and you'll do just fine." I listened but I didn't take what he said to consideration. I turned to him and said, "Why do you even care? You don't even know me? I'm just a kid right?" Hiroaki just started; I don't think he knows what to say.

The door slide open and Riley came in. "Takato. Hiroaki. Could you follow me please." We followed him to a small room with agents. Henry, Rika, and Ryo were there. Riley put her hand on my shoulder. " I spoke with Marko, you can go ahead." I looked at her smiling. She nods her head. I went towards them.

"Hey, guys how's the other side?" I ask them. They all looked like they were glad to see me. Ryo came in and answer, "Painful. How about you?"

"The same. Anyone know what's going on?"

"We don't know," Henry said. "We think it has something to do with the attack at the warehouse." I was confused. I asked Henry, "What happened at the warehouse?" They all look at me. "You don't know?" Rika asked.

"They didn't tell me anything about it." Rika began to tell me. "Dozens of agents went into the warehouse. It was a trap. Only a few made it out alive."

"That guy you were with. . ." Ryo points at Hiroaki. "He caught three of the guys. I think he knows what's going to happen right now."

"Takato," Henry said. "We want to talk to him and see if he can take us. . . " He stopped talking. I wondered why, but soon I heard, " Is this the boy who gave us the location?" a group of soldiers came towards us. They picked me up and dragged me to a corner.

"You little-"

"Guys please I had a hard day too just please don't hurt me-"

"Shut up!" I shut up. my friends followed me. They looked at them. "Why did they even bring you rookies should be training!"

"Leave him alone."

"This boy does not concern you," Hiroaki said. "Back away!"

"Leave him alone." Rika took a step closer towards the soldiers. The one holding me to a wall looks at me, then at them then lets me go. I walked towards Rika until the other soldier grabbed my hand hard. "You don't know what you are getting into."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Kid, you should have just stuck to playing card games." The soldier lifts his arm ready to strike me, yet before he does, Hiroaki ran in and pushed the guy off me. The soldier pushed him off and was about to strike him, but then Marko kneed him to the side of his stomach, causing him to bend, then pinned the soldier down."That's enough Badger." Marko said.

The soldier, Badger calmed down then got up to his feet. He looked toward Hiroaki confused."Hiroaki. You should lead us. We don't need them. It's a waste of time and you know it." Hiroaki just stared at him. The soldier behind Badger pats his back. "Don't worry about him, the meeting is about to start. Badger listen we have to go."

"I'm not done yet." he takes deep breaths. "Yamaki and Kodaki are wasting time and effort into making soldiers out of these kids. I mean look at them."Are these kids the new cadets? Are you kidding me?" he starts to point at each one of us, starting with Ryo: "The prodigy without a real home, nor real family." Ryo gasped. The Badger pointed at Rika: "The high-class brat who should have sucked tits off the runway like her mama, then play a weak card game." Rika gritted her teeth tighter. He then went to Henry: "The mixed mutt of the nerd that programmed the game. I hear your sister has a stronger monster than you, how cold is the shadow bastard?" Henry just stared at the ground. And finally reached to me: "And the kid who does not have the talent or skill to survive a war. No memories of his past. I bet you don't even know what it was like to be seven or eight years old." I don't know what he's talking about. "You don't know anything do you, Matsuda."

Hiroaki socked Badger to the side of his cheek. When he looked back at him the cheek started to swell. "Go to the meeting Badger." Hiroaki walked towards us. "Come in but don't say anything."

We walked in the room. Every agent in the facility was here, standing around, talking to one another and there was the agent known as Badger. "Why is his name Badger?" I asked Hiroaki. He was about to answer me but then Riley snuck behind the five of us and said, "Because Bartholomew Rudaki was too much for anyone to say. He's a feisty fellow who survives a swarm of Japanese wasps, so we decided to call him Badger, and it stuck."

"Why was he so angry at us, especially Takato?" Henry asked.

"You see the group he's with?" Riley pointed at the four. "They were once a large group of ten. Yesterday they all went into the warehouse and only four of them came back."

"What Warehouse?" Rika asked. Riley turned towards her and said, "The one that Jeri and Takato went into." I can feel my friend's eyes poking at me with questions. Riley noticed them as well. "Takato didn't tell you?"

"No," Henry said.

"I was told not to."

"By who?" Ryo and Rika asked.

"Yamaki, " I continued. "Yamaki told me not to say anything at the time because he didn't want anyone to go there."

"Well, if Yamaki said it then he must have a good reason," Ryo said.

"Still doesn't make it better. You don't trust us Takato?"

"Do you?" I asked back. She was shocked, but why would she? It's a bit like a dog sometimes you have to expect it to bite. " If I try my best not to say anything because when I went there-"

"There were criminals and killers with monster crawling all over the facility." General Kodaki took the stage. Everyone fell silent, paying attention to their leader. "We shouldn't be caught by surprise, but we did." Kodaki took the time to glare at us as if it was our fault they lost. "We shouldn't try to accuse anyone of our falls, for we have a new location to attack, and we are going to attack before they could even flinch." From a distance, Badger raised his hand. "What is it Rudaki?"

"General I propose that we sit back and let the ones more able to do this."

"As much as I would like that, this is protocol." The General responded. Then a friend of Badger interrupted. " We have lost forty of us to the system scumbags, they have monsters on their side and with what we have it isn't enough!" The agents agreed and grew louder around us. Riley confronted Badger and his friend. "Kind of manly for you to have children do your battles, isn't it Daniels?"

"I'm not asking them to fight our battles, I'm demanding for effective strategies and a damn Godzilla to fight with us." He pointed towards us, "These four do not have their Digimon, These four cannot fight, they are useless and the program that Yamaki put to babysit them is ridiculous."

"Don't talk to my friends like that!" I yelled.

"Don't talk at all!" He hollered back. "You don't have don't have the monsters, you don't fight, so you don't have a say in anything." I was angry at him and I wanted to say something. Henry butted in, "You need us!"

"Watch your mouth mutt," One of the agents backed him up. Henry walked towards him, but Hiroaki held him back, as the agent barged right at him. Everyone started to roar with arguments over us, over the system over Digimon. It was chaos.

"Enough!" Kodaki shouted, and it worked. Every agent stopped, even Badger's group calmed their storm of hate. "We shall not be against each other. This is how the system wins; They unite we divide. I want this all to stop this ridiculous intolerance from all sides. Is that clear." Silence yet so responsive to an agreement. "Good. Now on with the mission. All agents report to your stations. All cadets will be sent home. Hiroaki?"

"I'm sending them home for the week," Hiroaki said. Badger walked away laughing. "Good, let the rugrats have their bedtimes."And with that Hiroaki walked towards us. "I'm sorry guys, but Yamaki stated that you four should just leave for today."

"Leave? But we just got here, why?" Henry said.

"Those are the orders. The train is here. Go home." He was about to walk away, but I needed to ask him. "Hiroaki! What's happening? What aren't you telling us? We have the right to go!"

"No you absolutely don't !" he screamed. I was taken back. I didn't mean to sound rude but Hiroaki walked up to me and grabbed my shoulders. "There are things in your life that is best to not know, and this is one of them. Do you think I don't know how to fight monsters like you?. I fought monsters, organic and digital, more time since you six years old. You fought viruses, cute, I fought killers. Leave this one be."

He released his grip and let me go. Taken back like for the first time I felt an old feel of nostalgia, Hiroaki calmly told me and my friends to go home that we will discuss this all later. I didn't want to anger him any more than I did so we took the subway home. 

* * *

**(Authors note):** Next part of this chapter coming real soon. I had to split into two due to the length of this chapter. Also Please I'd like to hear your opinion on this story.


	7. First Mission First Fight (part 2)

Those Agents. That soldier Badger. I guess we all know what the rest of the soldiers feel about us. We were silent at the beginning of the ride home. Nobody spoke, nobody moved. We just sat there and thought about what that soldier said about us. What did he mean by that, I thought. I know what it was like to be about five years old. Yeah. Yeah, I remember I was. . . There was a time where I... I can't. I can't remember anything. It wasn't that I couldn't look back and see what it was like, no but everything, before I was about seven, was just a big blur. I don't remember my first word, how my preschool was if I went to preschool, I don't even remember my first walk without tripping on my feet. I can't find anything, but an enormous fog. "Ah, nuts!"

"What?" Rika asked. "What is it?"

"Nothing. Nothing it's just I don't want to stop, doing this you know?" They all looked at each other, then nodded. "Of course," she said. But then I could see her face; she was just disturbed by what Badger said as well. "Rika," I called her. "Don't let that guy get to you."

"I'm not a mutt," Henry said. He walked towards us. "I don't care what that guy said, I am not a mutt."

"We know that you aren't," Ryo said. "Who cares what those agents said."

"They were right about one thing," said Rika. "Without our Digimon, what are we good for them? We might as well go back to school and learn there, rather than here." Things went quiet for a second. We sat there thinking of what to do.

Update complete. Congratulations, Takato. What I thought. What are you talking about V?

Incoming message from Mitsuo Yamaki. Accept or reject?

"Um, allow?" I said out loud. Before Rika, Henry and Ryo could say anything a flash of light projected from the goggles and shot straight to the wall. The projector showed Yamaki. "Well, how are you scouts doing?"

"Yamaki why did you sent us home."

"I sent you all home because I would have wanted you all to be safe from what I'm about to show you. However, it was Kodaki who begged to differ. He would rather have you see what war you're joining in. I am going to show you what the System will do to kids like you." The video played, very grainy and sort of off 80s music beats played. It showed a scene of a family in a car. The father was behind the wheel, and the mother cradled the child in the back. The video zoomed out to reveal the vehicle, trapped in what looks like a car compressor. The footage then pans towards the left to see what we thought was a frightening image: kids, our age, tied and gagged together in a cage.

A group of people who looked like scientists: three men and two women, came into the picture. A man with a blue turtleneck sweater and sunglasses walked towards the group and then to the camera. "I know what you're thinking: is this necessary?" he spoke. "Absolutely." The man walked towards a desk revealing creepy tools that, makes me grow goosebumps. Sharp blades, giant scissors, even a computer monitor showing a picture of a screaming artifact. However, the thing that Ryo pointed out was what the man picked up: a gun.

"This is what happens when the Agency, dismisses us, rejects us, hides information from us. All we wanted was to journey into the artificial world. Who knew that we humans could be gods and bring into the new big bang that quick." He scratches the back of his head with the gun. "So this gun I hold is not like any pistol you'll see in stores. Now by design, it looks nothing special, but what attached to it," he tilted the gun to the side, "Will change the way the wars we fight."

Rika felt a bit sick of what's about to happen, Ryo moves closer to the screen. "That looks like a drive."

"A what? A flash drive?" I asked.

"No it can't be, those weren't invented around that time," Henry said.

"Well that's what it looks like," said Rika. The man in the video continued, "There are nanobots in inside this small memory controller, that's developed to do one thing." He points the gun towards the car and pulls the trigger. The pellet hits the hood, and the nanobots ate the entire car, with the family inside. Thirty seconds was how long it took. Henry didn't want to see it, but he could hear the cries, the screams. I felt sick. That's what we were up against, a group with very powerful guns.

"Yamaki, stop the video." Rika had enough. My goggles stopped projecting the video, and Yamaki replaced it. "I know you're all worked up on this contraption, but I have some news. We have the gun, the family is fine and most of, the kids were rescued." We were relieved about that. "So why would you show us this?" I asked.

"Because someone tipped us about the system making a better version, of the gun used in the video, and they are ready to attack with it. We can not let that happen."

"So let us go and help the agent!" Ryo yelled out. Henry and Rika wanted to go too, but I was too afraid of what might happen if I lose my friends now. However, my decision wouldn't win over three yes'. Yamaki sighed, "You sure you would like to do this? He asked all of us.

"Yes." said Ryo.

"Yes." said Henry.

"Yes," said Rika, They turned to me as I huffed, clenched my fist and smirked. "Yeah let's go."

"I've warned you all, but these are your choices. When you into the academy, I had Shibumi modify your Digivices so you can teleport to Matsuki's house. Good luck." And with that, he ended the transmission.

The three looked at me. "Takato? Why did he say we had to go to your house first?"

"I think I know why. You heard Yamaki say teleport right?"

"Yeah but that's just strange," Henry said. "How can we teleport? It's not like there a how-to manual."

There is, I, thought. V, how can we teleport.

Hold the Digivices in front of you then say "digit port open." No way Yamaki I thought, You watched the show. "Alright, guys take out your Digivices."

"Digiport open." It didn't happen. Not like the show. Instead, the goggles projected a pathway into the next destination, on the ceiling. It turns out I have to direct the lens to an area easy for us to go through. "Okay, You guys go in," I said.

"Do you think it's going to be fine?" Rika asked.

, "Rika it's just like the show isn't it?" Ryo mocked her a bit. Wish they didn't start bickering because the light from the portal is hurting my eyes. "Guys hurry up! It hurts." Thankfully Henry went in first. Then Rika and Ryo and finally I sprinted towards the gate. I could take the goggles after hearing the portal close behind me.

"Takato? How did you all get here so quick?" Jeri was there. She hugged me for a short second, and it caught me off guard. I had to be, honest with her, "I didn't expect you to be here."

"Your mom let me come here with Lillymon. I had to take care of Impmon." I was concerned about Impmon, "How is Impmon?" Jeri sighed, with disappointment. "He's okay but his arm is still in pain, and he can be one."

"What do you mean?"

"He won't eat, he won't rest, and when I try to help him, he goes, 'I don't need your help I can do it all by myself.'" She mimicked Impmon poorly, but I know that she wasn't trying to tease him, it just made me giggle."Doesn't he put you through the trouble?" I asked.

"Yeah, but I find it funny because, in the end, he does know that I'm there. He does give me a hard time, but he does rest." I walked with Jeri to Impmon, only to see Rika. "Impmon?" He saw her and said "Hey pineapple head. Why the long face?" Rika immediately walked towards him and hugged him. Impmon was surprised about the reaction Rika gave to him.

Henry met Lillymon and Ryo met Flamedramon. I couldn't hear their conversations, but from the look of it, Both Henry and Ryo reacted very differently. Henry was just ecstatic to see another Digimon in such a long time, that he stared a bit too long at the Digimon. "Hi, I'm Lillymon. . . Are you okay? Do you have a name?"

"Sorry, My name is Wong Henry, Henry Wong. It hasn't been long since we've seen Digimon but, I'm confident it gives me hope for my Digimon to come back."

"What is your Digimon, Henry?" She asked.

"Terriermon. His name is Terriermon." Lillymon placed her hand on his shoulder, comforting him. Henry looked like he was about to cry, as he tries to hold back the tears from showing. He misses Terriermon." Ryo, on the other hand, goes up towards Flamedramon, like he knows the Digimon. "Flamedramon."

"Yes, you must be Ryo?"

"Yeah. How do you know my name?"

"Of course. Who in the digital world doesn't know about the number one greatest tamer."

"That's very modest of you. How did you get here, to the real world I mean?"

"You don't know?" Flamedramon asked as if the question Ryo asked was a dumb one. Bewildered by this Ryo said back, "I don't know what?"

"Wow, The great Ryo Akiyama doesn't know a thing about what is happening in the Digital world."

"What do you mean? I know what goes on in the Digital world. I-" He was trailing off due to Flamedramon's laughter.

"I am only just messing with you, Great Ryo."

Rika interrupted, "I think we need to go!" She turned to me. "Takato, are we going to the Place?" Rika asked.

"What where are we going?" Lillymon asked.

"We need your help," Henry said. "There is an organization-"

"The system?" Flamedramon asked.

"Yes, you know them?" Ryo said.

"Know them? They brought me into this world in the first place." Flamedramon came towards Rika and me. "Well? What are we waiting for, I'll fight!"

"We have to free the others as well" Lillymon added. Everyone is aching and urging me to give them a response, but I was too occupied with the stuff V was sending me. "Just a second. It's, loading."

"What's loading?" Rika said.

"The Portal is taking some time to. . . Oh, wait it's on and ready. Okay, guys take out your Digivices." Everyone whipped out their gadgets; I wore my goggles and Ryo shouted, "Digiport open!" A small dot spread out from thin air. The pressure on the glasses was so bright and tight; my eyes felt like they were about to be sucked out. I grunted in the pain that I looked down. Apparently, that was a good thing because my eyes started to feel better and the portal was stabilizing. "We have to go now!" I said. Jeri grabbed my hand, "I want to come too."

"Jeri this might be dangerous, I can't let you go." She pulled my hand, tugged it harder like she wanted to keep my arm with her. I wanted to look at her, but I was afraid of what the portal could do to her. " Just stay there we'll be right back I promise."

With that she let me go. I jumped in and landed on the 2nd level of the area. Rika Ryo and Henry were taking cover with Lillymon, and Flamedramon attacked the System and their Digimon. It was confusing for the Agents to see Digimon duking it out against one another, but they were relieved that they don't have to fight the monsters. "Alright! They're fighting against each other!" An agent yelled out. Hiroaki found us, "A- What are you four doing here?"

"We came to help!" Rika said.

"We came to bring help!" Henry corrected her. Hiroaki looked at our friends, fighting the other Digimon, then back at the agents watching the clash. "Riley, take out the system. Tally take Henry and Rika, save the Digimon!" Riley took a couple of troops to the left and tally, with Rika and Henry went to the right. " Hiroki, what are we supposed to?"

"Tell me which one not to fire." I look towards the fight Flamedramon was fighting a Meramon, and Lillymon was fighting an Icedevimon. "See that flower Digimon?"

"Yes,"

"And the one with the blades on his hands?"

"Yes. do I shoot those two?"

"No, they are with us. shoot for the other ones!"

"You got it, kid." And with that Hiroaki instructed some of the agents, and they attacked. Ryo and I ran to take cover. There was a door behind us and beyond that was a surveillance room. Ryo pointed something "Look, Takato there they are!" and sure enough, Rika and Henry were freeing other Digimon. Some of them stayed behind; others just ran away. Badger and the other Agents managed to take control of the situation, capturing many members of the System.

"We won," I said. Ryo patted me on the back with a triumphant, "Yes we did." we raced to see many of the agents celebrating. Badger saw me. "Aw, you!"

"We what?" I asked. "You won this round didn't you?"

"Yes well... stay out of trouble." He left. I turned around trying to see where Ryo was. He's gone without me. "Takato!" I heard Henry. He was by the stairs waving at me to come towards him. I ran. Rika opened the door for me. "I lost Ryo. I can't find him anywhere."

"He isn't lost. He found someone."

"Wait found someone? Who?" They pointed to a distance, and there was Ryo with his Digimon's partner, Monodramon. "Monodramon."

"Hey there Ryo. What took you so long?"

"I had complications, but you're here. You're finally here." Ryo reached out Monodramon reached out and hugged him. Suddenly I saw a man with a rifle pointing right at Ryo. " Ryo!"

He looked up saw a red light on the back of Monodramon, then moved him. The dart hit Ryo's arm, then began to pixilate. Ryo screamed loud enough to have the agents running towards him. In about a couple of seconds, Ryo disappeared. I turned towards Henry and Rika, shocked as I was.

Another shot was heard. Another Agent disappeared. Monodramon ran confused as the agents all tried to hide away from the shooting. I looked up to see a blink of light coming from the top corner of the warehouse. I turned to Rika, "look the shooter is up there."

She looked up, "I don't see anything." Henry stopped her, "Wait, yes there is someone up there. Takato what are you doing." I didn't know what I was doing. I activated the portal to target the roof. "Digiport Open- Oh Nuts!" I leaped into the portal, not knowing that right in front of me was the sniper himself. I landed towards him, and he fell off balance. The gun was on the floor. I tried to reach for it, but the sniper grabbed me and pinned me to a wall.

I kicked and flailed my arms trying to land a strike. I managed to kick the shooter, and the man lets me go. I tried to make a run for the agents, but I felt a pinch on my stomach. I looked at my chest to see a syringe on my stomach. I felt like screaming but then everything in my body tensed and my senses felt drowsy. The last thing I remember the man picked up the gun and pointed it in front of me. "Say hi to your friend!"

Bam. A punch landed to his face. Hiroaki knocked him down. Riley and Tally, we there heading towards me.

Everything muffled. My eyes felt like they were melting as the cornea dried up with no juice, iris widened, and the pupil dilated. My fingers felt stiff. Twisting and tightening like someone wrapped my muscles tightly around my organs. I hear the echoes of Tally, Riley, and Hiroaki, though the speech muffled. I started to see flashes of color coming out of nowhere. Hazy white light sparked, and my body as stoned.

"That was a very dumb move," I thought. "I'm a kid; he was a man. What was I going to do? Say, 'stop!?'" I could feel my sight fading away. My body feels nonexistent like I couldn't move anything from my eyes to my feet. I couldn't think anymore and. . . I. . Everything. Dark. Jeri.

Guilmon.


	8. One Long Day

The pain in my head hurts. As if someone hammered my skull and my brain bounced inside. The heat from my body is too intense; I can feel the sweat running down my skin. I woke up, hyperventilating. I looked around, my head surprised, and my vision doubled. I saw shades of white around me. White, white-blue, white green, white-gray. As I spun, my hearing still muffled. My mother talked, but I couldn't understand her. My father held his hand, but all I could see, is blurry. I still felt tense, and I tasted bitterness around me including the air. Nuts. If this was how this drug was like, if this is the enjoyment of having medications, then it's not for me. I'm going sober.

"Takato?" Finally, I heard my mother. My eyes adjusted, Things are still blurry. "Mom?" I tried to move, but the only thing that I could move was up to my neck. I can't move anything else. "What happened?"

"You don't know?" My dad asked. He looked frustrated with me. As if I was... Scratch that. I am in trouble. Deep trouble. "Hiroaki and Rika told us all about what happened in that warehouse. The doctors said the injection filled with a powerful drug." Dad interrupted mom, "The drug was too much for your body to handle. I don't think you can move anymore."

"What?" I can't believe it. "I can't walk anymore?"

"Don't scare him like that Takehiro!" Mom scowled at Dad. Dad chuckled, and I realized it was a gag. "That's not funny," I said to him. I was angry. "I am sorry, but you need to cheer up," he joked. "The Doctors said that in time, you're going to be fine. Once the drug wears off, you can move everything."

"In time? How long?"

"About two weeks. Think of it as a vacation." Mom interrupted. "Except, you're grounded."

"Grounded? Why am I grounded?" It's not funny anymore; now it's hilarious. I can't move my arms, my back, my legs, or my feet. I am already grounded! Why stress me more? "We had a long talk with Markos." my dad said. "He said you were slacking off on your academics. You're flunking mathematics, and you can't read as well as the others."

"Okay, dad, Markos has been on me all the time. He doesn't give me enough time but he give me a hard time, like I'm his kid!"

"He is your instructor, so you are his kid. If you want your mother will teach the class." My mother looked at me. "Takato, if you don't succeed in your lessons, you won't be able to go." I let all that sink in. They gave me an ultimatum: Succeed in my lessons or don't get Guilmon.

"Wow." That's how I felt and that how my mom insisted on it. My parents were happy that I woke up, but then tell me the bad news and the worst news: I'm paralyzed and grounded for a week.

"Okay." My mother did her best to listen to me read and understand my schoolwork while dad had to watch the store. I did a lot of work that day, and I'm bummed that I was far from done. Mom wrote my answers then I had to explain to her why it was correct. The doctors came in from time to time. They told me since I can't control my neck well, they filled my IV with "food." It was tasteless, and it made me feel drowsy. So dizzy like the feeling of going through roller coasters ten times. My eyes were starting to grow heavier and heavier. Tired of math. Tired of reading. Tired of. . . Tired of. . . Tired.

"Takato?" I can hear Rika calling my name. " Hey Gogglehead!" she smacked me in the face, and my hands barely moved, but not enough to rub on my cheek. "That hurt."

"Just wanted to see if your hands worked."

"Well, they don't. I can barely pick up the bento-box and eat."

"Really," She looked at the blue bento box. Four types of food separated by plastic walls, all of them my favorites. Beef stir fry, cooked white rice, small cookies with melted chocolate, and some steamed veggies. Rika took the box, opened it and took some of the rice into her mouth. "That's mine!"

"Yeah well, I haven't eaten either." She took a stir fry and nibbled it. She tried to hide her smile, "This is good. Who made this?"

"My mother," I said. My stomach was growling, loud enough to echo across the halls. "Can you please give me some?"

"Sure." Rika moved the stir-fry towards me. I opened to taste the steamed, juicy beef but then she retracted. "If you want the stir fry, you should give me the thumbs up."

"You can't be serious."

"No, but I'd be willing to eat while I play the Digimon card game, by myself." Rika wasn't playing around. I have to move at least one of my thumbs, or I starve until the next meal. I tried wiggling my thumbs. It doesn't hurt, but I could barely feel it move enough to make sure. In the end, I gave her the thumbs up, well one of them.

"Hm. Okay then, open wide." She said followed by a demonstration. I rolled my eyes but complied. She shoved the utensils in my mouth, and I finally put something in my stomach. "That was dumb." She said bluntly.

"What?" I thought about what I might've done to have her say that. "You mean attacking that guy with the gun?"

"Yeah. I mean, What were you going to do? You're ten years old, and the only time you would've beaten up men twice your size, was when you were twice their size!"

"Well, You and Henry's plan weren't brilliant either. 'We aren't going to stand aside; we're going to fight them with fire.' Sheesh. Is it all my fault that I did something?" There was a pause. She took the utensil and bonked it on the top of my head. "I have your food. Treat me nice, Gogglehead or I'll numb you for good!"

"Wow. You know the great thing about being numb, is that I can't feel it. I mean you would know with you being all frozen before."

"Oh ha ha ha, you're bringing old things to one-up me? Is Takato growing up now or maybe growing out?" I was going to say something to keep the banter going but. . . I could see the look of guilt she had. "I came to tell what happened after you passed out. They caught the shooter. They're trying to get Ryo out of there, along with the other agents. Ryo's dad came, and Henry had told him what had happened."

"Is Ryo going to be okay though?"

"I-I don't know."

"Hey." I looked towards her. Still can't move anything from the neck down, but when she looked at me, My nerves vibrated. I saw her deck of brand new cards, and I asked: "You think you can show me tricks on beating Ryo."

"Wow. You want me to teach you how to beat Mr. Perfect? The drugs must have made you delirious, hasn't it? Or was the Goggles too tight, Goggle-head."

"Just noticed that you had the new card and I thought you were probably going to try to beat him. And the Goggles aren't too tight; I thought maybe you tie your hair a bit too tight, that it makes you angrier; bursting juice like a Pineapple-head."

"You're pushing it!"

"You're forcing me!" and with that, we both laugh hard. Probably one of the few times Rika smiled at me. She showed me her new cards and how she was going to use it not just on Ryo, but in the Digital World. . . at least she hopes of it. "Well you two look like a couple of patients," In walks Henry, with Jeri. Jeri rushes towards me and gives me a hug. I immediately grasped for air as she squeezed the breath out of me. "I heard what you did! You're so brave. What were you thinking!"

"Jeri. Air," I huffed. She let me go and I try my best to lay on my back but even that was out of my control. "Sorry," she said. "We came to send a message from Yamaki. He doesn't think that we should be there for now."

"Is it for the stunt I pulled?"

"Yes." Henry said. "Kodaki. He wants to dismiss you."

"Yeah well, He was never a fan was he?"

"This is serious Takato," Henry continued, "Kodaki said that because of Ryo's father confronting Hiroaki and Yamaki, he decided to postpone everything."

"What?" Rika shouted. She stood up from the bed, "Why would they do that to us? Because Evil Kenevil here, decided to take action?"

"No, Because Ryo is, Ryo is. . ."

"Gone," Jeri said. There was a pause in the room. The mention of death had put us through these times where we'd realized, we can't do squat. "Is he really gone though?" I asked. "What do you mean?" She asked. "That video that Yamaki showed us. They said that the gun can hold many people for around a couple of days."

"Yeah, ten days. But we can't do anything since we're suspended." Henry said.

"Well what would mean that they have a lot of time to figure out how to get them out." I said. Henry had his arms crossed. "Sorry Takato, they have tried everything. They even called my dad in, and even the monster makers couldn't do it." We stopped talking for several minutes. I grew light headed and my eyes got dreary. "We have to move I. . ." wait.

"Takato. Settle down!"

Something didn't feel right. I could hear Jeri call out "Takato?" I couldn't call for help. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't breathe. I could see Rika rushing towards me and trying to do CPR, poorly. I can hear Henry calling for the nurses as they rushed to assist me. I felt strangled. I felt myself suffocating, but I could tell that it wasn't me. The nurses baffled as if they haven't seen anything like this before. I felt an enormous wave washing the right side. The nurses suggested a cold bath, so they escorted my friends out. They rolled me into a refrigerated room, stripped me and held me in the ice cold bath tub. Frozen knives pierced across my skin, forcing a massive shock in my bones that all I could do is scream. Scream and cry at the pain at the top of my lungs, with nothing but primal thoughts. 'It hurts' 'It burns' 'Stop!'. I couldn't stop screeching until about a minute and a half when I couldn't take it and blanked out. There was a reason I felt pain.

I know he is in danger. My friend was attacked. Guilmon was hurt and I need to find him. I could almost see him, struggling through the desert of the digital world. He was panting out of the sting the insect Digimon did to him. He won but the sting he took paralyzed him so much that he couldn't probably move. Can't breathe properly, can't move, just waiting. Waiting for someone or something to help him. Waiting for the pain to be gone. Waiting, like me. Wait. Do I see him? Do I feel him? Was the this actually him. The guilmon in my head, suffocating and suffering like me, was he Guilmon? I wanted to call out "Guilmon? Guilmon! Can you hear me?" His eyes widened, shifted towards my voice. He heard me. "Ta-Ka-"

"-To. Takato?" I woke up, and jumped up from the ice pool I was in. My teeth were chattering, and my arms was goosebump-filled. It took awhile to realize that I can move my body. My legs and feet and toes were moving, but my eyes were still blurry. Once my vision was clear I could see Yamaki. "Seems that Riley had a wise hunch. The nurses would never thought of putting you in a freezer speeds the healing process." I tried to get up but end up slipping in the tub. "Easy, you need to move slowly." "I s-saw him!" I said.

"Saw who?"

"G-guilmon. I s-s-saw G-Guilmon." I held on to the edge of the tub.

"Did you really think it's him."

"I-I-I know it's him, it's got to be. I f-f-felt his pain and I saw him. He needs my help." "Your still delirious Takato. Calm down!" I relaxed. "Okay. So Guilmon is in danger and you can see him through hallucinations and drugs. Is that what I am getting at?"

"Well . . . w-when you put it like that it. . . I know what I saw-"

"Takato I don't have that much time, so I am going to tell you this then end the chat. We have the shooter, he wants to make arrangements on seeing Henry and Rika and you. I am very skeptical about this but We need you here as soon as possible. Understand?"I calm down, letting everything sink in. The shooter want to see me? Why? Why Us? "W-What about Kodaki?"

"He doesn't know and he shouldn't know. It's just going to be some of the agents and you three. We don't have much time."

"What day is it?"

"You were gone for about a day or two. It's Thursday, Rika and Henry are back in the Academy and Riley would like a word with you."

"Riley?" I turned to him. I felt my shoulders feel a little tense from moving too quickly. I try to move as slow as possible, while trying to pay attention to Yamaki. " She would like to ask you a few questions. It was her idea to put you in an Ice bath." I turned to the side to see a large towel. I took it and tried my best to slide out of the tub and hide out my privates, while dealing with my body rolling like a rusty robot. I wrapped the towel around me, my knees jellied as I tried to stand. I used the tub to help me balance but it just feels weird. "Takato, I have to go. Please come in as soon as you can. We cannot proceed without you being there. Don't keep Riley waiting. End Transmission."

Took me a while to walk normally and my right hand starts twitching as I put my clothes on. Finally I put on my goggles and V activated.

Where to Takato?

I need to get to the academy. And with that V turned the small projector camera and I jumped in. I landed in the academy. The lights were dim and the place looked. . . empty. Sure there was about twelve agents there but there were far more agents and soldiers before. My guess was that the shooter took half of them out while I was down. Huh. . . Useless.

"So you came!" I turned to see Hiroaki, happy to see me. Badger on the far end, who started walking towards me, was more than steamed when he saw me there, "Really? Why are you here " "Badger, Stand down! Go back to your post."

"What for so you can talk to this imp here?" Hiroaki punched Badger in the face. The amount of force and power in that fist must have been strong because it knocked him like a skipping rock. He landed on his butt twice after he got up and wiped the blood on his busted lip.

"Would you shut up you whiny cow. Head to the cafeteria like I told you to, That's an order!" And with that he spit towards me and then left with his fellow Agents. One of the agents looked at me, and I had the strange gut feeling about him. I have never seen before but then again I was too busy with my studies and my training. "Petty tool. How are you feeling Takato."

"He thinks Imp is an insult, I've met one who can turn to a demon." Maybe I shouldn't have said that because he gave me a What-does-that-even-mean look. "I'm okay, but I want to know what is going on."

"Riley wants to run some test and we have to talk to you with Rika and Henry. They're in their rooms with Impmon and Flamedramon."

"Where is Lillymon?"

"The bakery." I gave him a wired look. "She likes working with your parents." I shook the thought of not telling my parents that I am at the academy without letting them. Everything was going too fast that I just forgot. We've called them. They know that you're out of the hospital and they know you're here with us. They told us to tell you to be careful." "I know. I just, I still can't believe it." we started walking to Riley's office. "What that they were agents?"

"Yeah, but even more they're hiding something else. Ever since Lillymon arrived, they, changed."

"They never really changed Takato. I know your mom and dad, this is how they really are. This is just the first time you've noticed." I grunt at the feeling I felt. Was I ignorant when it came to my mom and Dad. I know that before the bakery they were . . . Um. Well. They were agents, but that would mean they were agents, and then they had me. Huh. That would mean that Digimon had been around for more than a couple of years, but were they really?

"Hey." Hiroaki brought me back. His head tilted towards me. "Don't think of it as bad. You were just busy, it's good to be busy." He turned back to Riley's Room, "Being busy helps you with things to forget."

The door opened and Riley greeted me. Hiroaki stood outside. She closed the door and told me to take off my clothes. "Is this really necessary?" She shook my head. Riley reached for her bag and took out a couple of photos. Many of them were of people, naked, with bumps on skin, rows of veins exposed to the skin, and boiled eyes. "This is the side effects of the viral kiss: Hyper exposed veins, prone to bleed internally, and boiled eyes. which could be the after effect if not for the cold bath I told your doctor. We have to make sure it worked thoroughly. "Oh," I stripped off of my clothes . For about a minute or two, she was actually quick about it and then told me to put on my clothes. It got me wondering for a bit how did she know that. "How did you know you needed to put me in cold water."

"Hm?"

"I mean, I'm not saying that I'm not happy about that, Thank you, but it's just-"

"I know what you are asking me Takato. It's okay, I actually was a Doctor before I joined Hypnos."

"Really?"

"Yes. Sure it was working with computers rather than people, but I really had no choice for reasons."

"Which were?"

"Reasons." I could tell now that she doesn't want to talk about it. She escorted me to the Cafeteria. There was Rika and Henry drinking soda, and waving when they saw me. I gestured Riley if she could let me go to them and she nodded in approval. I rushed towards them. "I'm glad you're running now," Henry said. "I feel great," I said. Rika was smiling, "So now can I show you my cards?"

"Huh, but I just got here."

"Can you move your hands?"

"Yes."

Rika immediately threw a kick that nearly hit my butt, but I managed to block it with my hands. "Ow? Ow!" Rika laughed a bit. She showed me her deck of cards. Most of the cards were very powerful. Almost good enough to beat Ryo with them, yet we cannot try them, because. . .

"Do you guys know where Yamaki is?"

"He's at the interrogation room, with the jerk that shot Ryo. I want to go in." Rika said as she walked to the room. Henry and I followed her until the agent, Markos stopped us. " What are you kids doing? The playgrounds over there

" He pointed away from the interrogation room. We stood there for a moment until I said, " Can you please let us in sir?"

"No."

"Why?" Henry asked. Markos looked at him in disappointment. It was as if he thought Henry, from the three of us knew the answer better than we did. However after a long pause, he finally sighed, looked up at the sky and said. "Military school should have been a better option."

"What?" Rika smirked at his face. "There's been a change of plans. I was ordered to not let anyone in, especially you three." He said. "The ministry of defense after a long weekend meeting, decided to allow the program to run, if we get the agents we lost, out of the data-gun."

"Meaning?" Rika wanted to know.

"Meaning the System. . ." He shook his head in disappointment, "Someone knows about the program, and told them."

"The man. He told you about this?" I asked.

"Oh yes, he's told us he has a mole in Hypnos. I don't believe it, but, I need you to be very careful. We can't have you home because then others would be hurt, and the System will hurt you, so the next step was to bring you here. We asked you three to be here, for your safety. "

"Can that man get Ryo out of the gun."

"He's expecting to. The bastard was the one who made the gun in the first place."

"Is there anything we can do?" Markos ignored me and point straight to Henry. "Henry, the gun is located in the lab below the training grounds. Do not let anyone see you. See what you three can do with it, and then, whatever happens, happens." That was a stroke of luck. We were about to go to the lab until Markos says, "Cadets. You didn't hear from me."

Ominous

Takato and his friends went and search for the gun, much to Markos' appeasement. Markos went inside the room to find Hiroaki, Riley and Yamaki were in there discussing about the follower in the interrogation room. "I don't want him anywhere near those kids," Yamaki said.

" You don't have to say that to us twice," Riley said. "Above all the members of the System that we could have caught, Kentaro would've been the last person to be at that seat." She glared at him through the window. Kentaro stared at the wall right in front of him with a smile, like he know something they don't. "Bastard, what is he smiling about?"

"He's planning something. We're running out of time." Yamaki said. Markos shook his head and said to Yamaki, "Aren't we supposed to interrogate him now."

"Okay, then who wants to do it?"

"Should the one in charge, be able to do it?" Markos stared directly at Yamaki. Yamaki retorts, "What's that supposed to mean?" There was a brief pause until Marcos broke the silence. "You know, I lost so many soldiers, some of them I held near and dear to my heart. I am fine with that, I knew what I signed up for, and would put my life in the line of fire to save Japan. What I didn't sign up is the fact we brought kids, my cadets, in the line of fire. Now I lost one of them and had to take on the full hell, by the boy's father. If we should ask this piece of filth questions, do it and get it over with it!"

"Are you suggesting this is my fault?"

"With all due respect, as an agent of Hypnos, I would not blame our loses on anyone. But as an agent to the ministry of defense, sir, you gave Takato the goggles. You, gave the least ranked cadet, with the highest piece of technology barely seen by our agents. For that, they used it to bring themselves into this mess and now one was paralyzed and the other is in danger. So, yes, this is your fault." Markos and Yamaki stared each other down. There was a pause so long, that a pen drop would be noticable.

"Your right." Yamaki thought as he shook his head of his own disappointment. "It is my fault. We still need to make him talk though."

"I propose that you do it then."

"It's not easy, Markos. Kentaro is extremely manipulative. Anything that comes out of him is as convincing as the sky."

"Coward."

"You think that you can do it go ahead, Agent."

"Enough both of you!" Riley interrupted, but they still kept on fighting. Hiroaki on the other hand, stares down at Kentaro, the man on the other side of the interrogation room. Every person in that room knew about who Kentaro was, based on their adventures with him.

However no one really knew just how capable he was to the cause of the System, than Hiroaki. The shooter, sensed someone, looking at him, and tilted his name towards Hiroaki. The shooter smiles, smirking like some smug snake. Hiroaki heats up with rage. This punk, he thought. What the hell is on his mind to give me such a smile? The worst part of all this to him is that he couldn't think clear because his boss and his friends are fighting like a bunch of middle schoolers.

"Could everyone calm down!" Hiroaki commanded. He puts his weapons on the table "I'll go."

"You sure?" Riley asked him. "I could do it-"

"No. I lost her because of him, he shoots Ryo down. I can't lose another kid, while you guys fight." And with that he walks out and into the interrogation. Once the door was closed, all was silent, not a single second of sound interrupted the two men in this staredown. Gut wrenching and steady vibes of hate stuffed the room. It's been a long time since Hiroaki and Kentaro dueled against each other, mind and might, card duel and Fighting. Hiroaki took a chair in front of him and sat down. "You know that one of agents you've shot was a tamer, but you don't give a crap. Do you?"

"Are they here?"

"Who?"

"Henry, Rika and-"

"Oh you would want them to be here, don't you?"

"No. I don't want them here, because then I'll let them know. You should know that don't you? You seem to know everything about me don't you, Hiroaki?" There was a large silence in the room. there's a lot of Silence in this room. The tension between the two men, lets the mood of the room speak for itself. "How do we get the Agents of the gun."

"You can't."

"That's a lie and you know it, stop bullshitting with us and tell us what you know." Kentaro leans in closer to Hiroaki. "Why would I don't bullshit you. You know that I'm honest with you. You know that I know, I have tried to convince you to join our side but you're stubborn. Stubborn people are the first ones to die, because they believed that the enemy did not have any more weapons capable of killing our ancestors, do you remember. You were stubborn to think that hypnos is the good group when you know what they done to children as well. You are stubborn when I told you what our plan was for your children."

"Don't bring them in this conversation. Don't ever talk bring in my kids again!"

"Your kids? What about my kid!"

"You wanted to kill him!"

"No." Kentaro shook his head. The remorse of the past creep on his shoulder, but he shrugs it off like a fly. "I intended to free him. To save him and take the journey to another life. You, you took that opportunity away. Just like I took the opportunity to

" Why? You were the ones that brought him into and her as well. Poor Takuya. How many nights has he slept knowing that she is gone?"

Hiroaki resisted standing up kicking the chair and beating Kentaro right then and there. Kentaro was right. Kentaro was always honest when it comes to Hiroaki, but Hiroaki doesn't want to let Kentaro see weakness, so he asked again. "How do we get our agents out of the gun."

Kentaro looks at him for a quick minute, and smiles, "Blood." He said, raising my hand. "My blood. I put a scan on the gun. The only way to truly use it is to activate the blood scan. You know, I don't want to activate it for you, not even if you torture me. You see, I'm also stubborn. So that leaves you with two options really. Either you let your agents die. Let it erase every single data inside the drive. Or you do the unthinkable, you have someone else do it. Someone that you have promised yourself, to not reveal the true identity. Someone who might just be related to me. Someone, who's blood-bound." Beyond the window, Yamaki, Riley and Marcos listen very closely. They knew what Kentaro was talking about. " It's a trick," Marco's said. " Isn't that right Yamaki?" it was very silent, especially towards the situation. He pondered at the thought of it. "What if it was true?"

"Is it though?"

"We don't have much time anyway," Riley said. "This is your call Yamaki"

"He just said that we needed his blood." Yamaki paused, thinking about the choices he must make. "Then we take it. Riley."

"Yes?"

"Go to your lab and get me a needle." Riley nod and excused yourself out of the room. she raced to her lab, and searched of the cupboards to find an unused needle. But before she could take it back, an alarm rang. She sees a couple of Agents rushing to their positions and she full of them, running into Badger. " Badger! What seems to be the situation?"

"There was a breach from above, someone knows that we're here." "What do you mean someone knows we're here? possible unless. . ."

"So it's true? There is a mole."

"Where are the Tamers?"

"All those brats, I don't think that they're going to be a prob-"

" Badger if they find them they will kill them, find the kids!" Riley did her best to run back to the interrogation room. So Badger doesn't like the kids, but because he was instructed to save them and that he doesn't want the System to win, he called in Daniels. "I thought we were supposed to be back in our positions," Daniel said. "Riley said that we should find the kids. I want you to come with me. I want you to call in Malcolm, Colin, Yukio and Akio to come with us and instructed them to find the Tamers." back in the interrogation room kentaro wailed and laughter. Hiroaki Smurf smirked a little. " What's so funny? you think a couple of your followers can stop us." "They're not the followers that you think." "What do you mean?"

" Well for starters, they're not human." Hiroaki's eyes widen.

Takato

It took us a long time but we finally found the gun. We were trying to be careful with it, "Hey Henry, you want to grab it."

" Why do I have to grab it?" " I mean you don't have to but I'm guessing you're the most responsible here."

"Huh," Rika said, as she folded her arms. "What's that supposed to mean."

" I mean, I know I'm a bit clumsy that if I trip the gun might go off."

"Well I know that, but what makes you think that he's more responsible than me?" she said. I didn't say anything and neither did Henry, but we both did a gesture letting her know that she can be really trigger happy whenever she gets mad. She noticed and look away. She got the message.

Henry went back, and took the gun. To be honest I didn't really look like a gun, look a little more like a science-fiction blaster with a large slot on top to put in a flash drive maybe. Henry observed along with us turning the blaster to reveal a button on the bottom. the trigger was still there and the safety button so we didn't know what that button is for and for that reason we didn't touch it.

"It's a bit weird don't you think," Rika said. "That they found what the System has this gun that can erase anyone, and yet they don't secure it here. Where exactly is here?" We scan the room noticing a lot of scrap metal, blueprints, and gadgets. Henry picked up one of the Blueprint, "This must be the place where they build gadgets. Things for us and the rest of the agents." As we scan the room I noticed the blueprint to my goggles, V. once I lift it up, there was a a profile, with my name on it. Curious, I open the portfolio only to find a blank page. "What?"

"What is it," she walked towards me. I told her the truth. " Weird, there's a portfolio of me and yet there's nothing the blank page." Took a glance at it as well, maybe not a glance because she knows something, " it's a little symbol on top right." we took a closer look at it. instantly we knew what it was. "That's guilmon symbol, a digital hazard."

We flip the page to see if there was anything only to have the same symbol on the back as well in the same place. " Aw nuts, you think you guys have a profile?" That got both Rika and Henry Curious as well. They searched the place, As much as they could for the very short time that we have. We found a large room simply titled, History room. " Maybe it's in there?" Henry questioned "Do you guys want to check it out" I said.

"Takato we can't do that, we were just told to grab the gun and bring it to Marcos."

"They can wait, Marcos said it was going to be a while, and besides, I'm curious to see if I have another profile because this can't be it." I said holding the portfolio. Rika and Henry glanced at each other, Thinking of the same thing. They looked at me and nodded. I led the way. I was about to open the door before I could we heard an alarm. All three of us jumped, thinking that it was us that sounded the alarm. "Oh we're in trouble now!" we raced out of the room and try to reach to the interrogation room, before we could, Badger with five other agents was in the way. "There you are!" he said." We were looking all over for you." "We're going to the interrogation room" Rika said. "Sorry Bratz. it's been a change of plan. There has been a breach! I need to take you to safe-" he Noticed the gun. "Why do you have that?" he asked.

" I don't know what you're talking about" Henry applied

"Don't play dumb! why do you have the gun with you?" he reached for his baton. the agents behind him readied themselves. " give it to me." "It's not what you think." "Do what he says, boy" the agents in the back says. I thought about it for a second to hold back Henry and said, "how do you know that there was a breach." "Are you stupid, the alarm went off!" "Yeah but who told you that it was breach?" Badger stopped for a bit, thought about it, and said, "?" "From who? Who told you this?" "No." he said softly. He turned around to look towards his fellow agent, Akio. "You told me." The agent's stern looked gave away. He was sweating and shaking his head " Sorry Badger" He took out his gun and shot down Colin and Yukio while Badger and Daniels ran towards him and attack Akio. Daniel's didn't see the other agent behind them, as she kick Daniel to the side got him into a sleeper hold. Wasting no time, I grabbed Rika shoulder and the three of us ran. We heard grunts and screams from the agents, but we didn't really bother. I didn't know about what Rika and Henry felt but I felt truly worried. It didn't help felt to see the red snow surrounding us as the light flashes red and hits the white walls. Ominous A loud bang after bang, banged across the room as Hiroaki restrains Kentaro, while Marcos, Yamaki and Riley fend off the monsters outside. "You can't stop them," Kentaro taunted. "They will come in and I will be free to leave and take what is rightfully mine-" Smack. Hiroaki grew tired of Kentaro's banter. "Shut up or I'll just kill you here." "Do you even have the balls to kill me Hiroaki? Because there's been countless times you have the chance to kill me and you didn't. Look at where we're at today. Me alive with Rika, Henry and Takato out there, you with your wife, your son and a half-" Whack. Hiroaki grew tired of Kentaro's yapping and pistol whipped him, knocking him unconscious. Yamaki and Riley saw what he did. "Hiroaki we needed him alive!" Riley shouted. "He's still breathing, just not talking." Hiroaki shouted back. The banging grew louder and louder as the doors are breaking in. Inch by inch one of the digimon are tearing the doors, but we do not know what. "We can't be here . There has to be a way out." He shouted to Yamaki. Yamaki stared at the center of the floor, as if he had something in mind. "Yamaki!" "There. Down there is a trapdoor that leads to the entrance." Riley being close to the area, lifted the table and, low and behold, there was a trapdoor with a lock. "Does anyone have a key?" Riley asked. Hiroaki geastured her to the side, "We don't need a key," he took out his gun and hammered down to the lock.

Smash!

Smash!

Smash!

The lock broke down, and Riley opened the door and jumped in first. "Toss him here." Hiroaki was about to bring Kentaro down but Yamaki stopped him. "Leave him here."

"We need him away from them," Hiroaki said pointing at the door, ready for the digimon to ram in. Yamaki shook his head. "That's an order."

Hiroaki and Riley were dumbfounded. Their leader that would have the opportunity to save Ken over them in order to save Japan, has told him to leave the prisoner behind? But they had the order and Hiroaki followed them. He jumped down the trapdoor and Yamaki followed, closing the door behind him.

The door was broken down. The beast stepped in the room, his clawed feet scratching the door beneath them. The ten foot tall shadowed- digimon, stood tall with knived claws and a strong shield on his back, with only his flaxen mane as the minimal color of it. The digimon stared down at his tamer. "Kentaro. We came for you."

Kentaro, was waking up. A bit groggy from the punch, he looked up and smiled, "What took you so long?"

"Myotismon is fighting Flamedramon, and Puppetmon is after the kids. They have your gun." Kentaro began to giggle, as he stood up, "Well let's meet them shall we!"

Takato

We ran and ran until we reached to the infirmary for digimon, but they weren't there. "Wasn't Flamedramon supposed to be here?"

"Yeah and Impmon too?" Everything was going to fast for any of us to comprehend. I quickly thought of where they could be but, as I was thinking that we heard aloud crash, coming from the training grounds. We instantly ran towards it.

We found the training grounds something rocket straight down like a meteorite. A large gust of smoke fume all around us. I tried to shield my eyes for a while, but I couldn't bear the pain in my eyes as sand went through it. it took me about a second to realize I don't have to endure it, and put on the goggles. V did much more of the work for me.

There through all the smoke was Flamedramon, scratched and bruised, fallen and struggling to get up. "Flamedramon! Flamedramon!" We shouted as we ran to him and shook his shoulder. He gasped breathing, he's alive. "Takato?"

"Hey! Who did this to you?"

"You have to run. Get out, They're here for you!" Flamedramon tried to get back up yet before he could, there was something that had him scared. "All of you, get behind me? He is here."

"Who is-"

"Now!" I jumped and sprang behind him. I hid behind him to remain unseen from what followed. There he was, stood hovering above us. Dark-purple suit wearing monster from beyond the grave with fang sharper than a knife. I knew who it was, the villain of the show, the third main bad guy and the worst of the bunch. Myotismon. "Well, Well," He spoke. Just him standing there washed the color off my skin. "It's been a week, and seems that you've found yourself a tamer as well. Shame I have to kill him."

"Leave him out of this!" Flamedramon shouted. "This fight is between you and me."

"Since when?"

"Cease, Myotismon." We heard clapping coming from the side of the corner. There blackWarGreymon was there and beside him And beside him was... Him. The shooter from the warehouse, smiling as if he expected us. He walked closer into the light with BlackWarGreymon following him. "I am Kentaro. Please don't be surprised, it's destiny that we would meet. I am so glad that I finally got to you meet you three."

"We aren't." Rika shouted back.

"Shame, Rika. It's been so long that I would have know you to be such a great leader. I see the two boys are following you now."

"What's that's supposed to mean?" Said Henry. "We don't. . . Have leaders."

"Sure you don't Henry. I can see that you are the smartest in the room. Smarter than that one of course." He said pointing at me. He did not movie his head or his eyes towards me not more than a minute or so.

"You disappoint me Takato. As brave and as dedicated as you are, you still walk as if you're sleepwalking. All three of you: Sleepwalking. Daydreaming in this dream, like you would wake up and it will go back to the way it was." He lowers his finger and opens his hand, as if he wants me to take it. "Allow yourself to be awake. Allow yourself to be alive. I will help you." "You want us to join you?" I asked. "We both want the same thing." "No way" Rika walked in front of me and stood tall. "We don't want whatever you want." "So you don't want Renamon, Rika?" Rika choked a bit at Kentaro, when he said his name. She grows more angrier and angrier. "It is alive you know, and we are close to catching it. Don't you want her with you Rika? Or Terriermon on your shoulder Henry, or Guilmon. I could bring back Ryo, the soldiers. Even Leomon?" "All I ask is that you leave Hypnos, Leave Yamaki and the rest of the agency. Join me." He gestured to Wargreymon and Myotismon. "Join us."

"No."

"I wouldn't join even with a dead brain!" Rika screamed at his face. Ken looked at both Henry and Rika and smiled, in disbelief. He sighed then turn towards me, "How about you Takato? Being so relatively quiet after these two, it would appear that you are reconsidering it." I looked toward my friends, then at him. Say no. Takato, you don't want to do this. "Come join me Takato. I could have Guilmon here in a snap. We can run this place, together. . ."

"N. . . I can not," I said. "I will not. I stand with my friends; I don't even know you."

"Oh," Kentaro, put his head down, like a disappointed pharaoh who lost. He looked back at me, "You don't know me? It's good that you don't know me. But I knew you!" Wargreymon and Myotismon got into position of attacking my friends, but Flamedramon, still injured jumped in front Henry and guarded the two of them. "Cease!" Kentaro commanded. Still looking at me, he started walking towards me. "Okay, if you want to make your choices, then I'll give you three. Option 1, you go with your friends and die with them. Option 2, join me and together we will find Guilmon."

" No?" He starts to crackle, "Then save yourself!" He snapped his fingers, and immediately the Digimon clashed. Myotismon and Flamedramon continued their fight and Blackwargreymon grabbed Ken and jumped out of the the action. "Hey wait. Come back you, coward!"

Wham! I felt a wooden mallet hit me on the side of my ribs that tossed me to a corner. Puppetmon sprang to help Myotismon. "Oh that must have hurt, didn't it boy?"

He was getting too close to Rika and Henry. I did what I have to do. I raise the gun and fire. The blast hit Puppetmon in the shoulder and immediately he starts to dust away. Myotismon saw what I did and fled.

I ran towards Rika and picked her up. "Are you guys okay?"

"Yeah." Rika took my hand and pulled herself towards me. I nearly helped Henry but he was already up on his feet. " How did you turn it on?"

"What?"

"No agent could activate it, but you could. How?"

I looked at the gun. Yeah, how did I get it to fire? "I guess I am lucky."

Flamedramon grunts towards us. He struggles to get up but with the endurance of a bull in a red room, he walks it off. "We have to get Kentaro. We must not let him escape!" He leaps into action. We ran after him for minutes until I heard, "Freeze!"

I turn around to see Riley, with a look of relief. "Oh Thank goodness, it's only you three." Hiroaki and Yamaki were right behind her. "Did you see anything."

"Just some maniac with three Digimon, asking Takato to do something. He wanted to-" I stopped Henry.

"It's nothing." I said. Yamaki shook his head at me and said, "At least you're okay." Yamaki sees me holding the blaster and grins with a smirk. "And the gun is safe."

Riley interrupted, "I've just been informed. Kentaro escaped."

"What, but that's impossible." Yamaki states. He lifts his hand towards me. "Takato, the gun." It felt tempting to hold it for a while, but I don't think I want to be on Yamaki's bad side. I handed the blaster to him. Yamaki tosses it to Hiroaki, "you know where to hide it."

"They won't find it with me." Hiroaki covers the gun with a cloth and tucks it into his coat. Yamaki, turns towards us, " Today was a failure, I want you three to go home and wait until I give the okay."

"What about Ryo?" Rika asks,

"We have time."

"How much?" Henry asks.

"I told you, We have time." I took a glance at Hiroaki's coat, hoping for a way to take the gun. It's no use. "Fine."

We took the portal back to the park. It's dark with the moon and post lights shining. I said my goodbyes to Henry and Rika, and took my path home. I was going to turn to corner, when in a flash, something grabbed me and tossed me in an alleyway. I looked at it clawed feet and knew who it was, Black Wargreymon. Right beside him was Kentaro. His white smile reflected the light from the lamp post. "Is Yamaki still a fool to leave you all alone?"

"What do you want? I don't have the blaster."

"That doesn't matter. Those agents don't matter."

"Ryo matters." He picks me up and hands me to Blackwargreymon. It takes us up to the roof where he let's Ken go, but restrains me.

"You know, Takato. One way or another I want you to join us. I really do. In fact I really want to go and find Guilmon." I was confused. Back at the academy, he seemed to hate the idea of having me on his side. Was he faking? Is he faking now?

"How?" I asked. "How can we get Ryo out?"

"What does he matter? He does little to help any of you."

"He matters!" I stared him down. I did not let myself blink or move. This was serious. This is one of my friends. I'm not going to let him disappear and die. And I have to make sure he gets that. He did.

"Where is it?"

"What? The gun?"

"Yes. I will show you the way to let them free."

"I. . . I don't have it. Hiroaki took the blaster." He took a deep breath.

"Blood." He signal Blackwargreymon to let me loose. He lifted his hand then grabbed mine. He then reached for his pocket and took out a syringe. "This blood."

"What?"

"That is the only way to get him out. This syringe holds my blood. You take it to Hiroaki and let him work on it. He will know what do do with it." Ken breathes in the moment look at me and asked, "Why?"

"What?"

"You don't recognize me. Neither does Rika, which is a shame for the both of you. You know I've been thinking about you mostly in that cell. What I'd do when I see you. What I'd say? But now I see you and you're," He looks at me with stern eyes and a jacked frown. "Nothing ."

"I-" Before I could speak Ken walked towards the Digimon's and tilted his head to the left side of the sky. Myotismon appeared in flash and hovered over the two. "My Blood, Takato! If you lose it, hope for Ryo's sake that yours would do!"

"Wait! What does-" urgh. He left without asking. I still yelled at him, "What does that mean!" Like a dork, I waited for a response. Nothing. Only the wind whispering meaningless woosh sounds.

I looked around. The air's cold, with blaring loud beeps and honks of cars. I climbed down the ladder off the side of the building, creeping around so one one would spot me. Who would though? Everyone else is busy walking and chattering. I grab my stuff: My folder, and the blood that Kentaro gave me, along with work that needed to be done at the academy. Great, what a day.


End file.
